The BCER’s regulatory framework is designed to ensure safe and responsible energy resource operations to protect public safety and the environment. Energy resource activity permit holders are responsible for the safe operation of their activities within this framework.

What are Incidents?

An incident is defined as a present or imminent event or circumstance resulting from an energy resource activity that is outside the scope of normal operations. Examples of incidents include product spills, site equipment damage or failure and security breaches. Incidents are classified according to risk severity, as minor, moderate (level 1), major (level 2) or serious (level 3).

• See the BCER’s Incident Classification Matrix (pdf)

Incident Preparedness

Permit holders must develop and maintain Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs (EPRPs) to ensure capability, competence, and capacity to respond effectively and safely to incidents. Additionally, permit holders must develop and maintain emergency response plans (ERPs) and exercise annually, as directed in the Emergency Management Regulation (EMR).

ERPs provide a structured approach to managing emergencies by outlining procedures, roles, and responsibilities according to Incident Command System principles. They ensure that permit holders have clear protocols for accessing critical information and coordinating and deploying resources and equipment during an emergency. ERPs also define the chain of command and communication channels, enabling efficient decision-making and response coordination. The BCER reviews permit holders’ ERPs to ensure compliance with the EMR and evaluates permit holder emergency management exercises to confirm preparedness and adherence to regulatory standards, ensuring effective response in the event of an emergency. The BCER maintains its own Emergency Management Program, which includes a 24/7 service for receiving incident and complaint calls, staffed by trained incident response personnel.

Incident Response

Permit holders must notify the BC Energy Regulator of all reportable incidents. Minor incidents must be reported within 24 hours, while level 1-3 incidents must be reported to the BCER immediately (within one hour) and local First Nations as soon as possible, after having taken any immediate actions necessary for public safety or to minimize immediate environmental impacts.

• See the BCER’s Incident Reporting Instructions and Guidelines (pdf)

The BCER reviews and assesses incidents to verify the appropriate incident classification and ensure compliance with regulation. The BCER may activate its own Emergency Operations Centre, staffed with dedicated incident response personnel, to oversee and/or coordinate emergency response in collaboration and communication with local communities, operators, emergency services and government officials.

• See the BCER’s Roles & Responsibilities During an Incident document (pdf)

Post-Incident Reviews

The BCER conducts post-incident reviews, led by environmental, emergency management, and technical professionals, to verify that permit holders have taken appropriate response and remedial actions. These reviews also help identify the cause and contributing factors, determining whether repairs or solutions should be shared with other permit holders to prevent similar incidents.

Incidents by the Numbers

The following graphs break down energy resource activity-related incidents in B.C. by (1) severity, (2) activity type, and (3) incident type.

Figure 1. Incidents by Severity

Figure 2. Incidents by Activity Type in the last full calendar year

Figure 3. Incidents by Incident Type in the last full calendar year