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Established in 1998, the BC Oil and Gas Commission is the provincial single-window regulatory agency responsible for overseeing oil and gas operations in B.C. In 2017, the Commission also assumed authority over technical aspects of geothermal authorizations, such as wells and facilities.
The Commission’s functions include reviewing and assessing applications for oil and gas activities, consulting with First Nations on applications and operations, ensuring industry complies with provincial legislation and permit conditions, and cooperating with partner agencies.
The regulatory responsibility of the Commission extends from the exploration and development phases, through to facilities operation and ultimately decommissioning and restoration. It is charged with balancing a broad range of environmental, economic and social considerations.
There are close to 250 employees, in seven offices across the province, who are dedicated to ensuring the responsible regulation of B.C.’s oil and gas industry, and aspects of geothermal activities.
In the Kelowna office, the Commission’s two dozen employees are mainly composed of engineering services.
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