National Energy Board

Pipelines originating from Alberta regulated by the NEB (now, CER)

The National Energy Board was an independent economic regulatory agency created in 1959 by the Government of Canada to oversee "international and inter-provincial aspects of the oil, gas and electric utility industries."[1] Its head office was located in Calgary, Alberta.

The NEB mainly regulated the construction and operation of oil and natural gas pipelines crossing provincial or international borders. The Board approved pipeline traffic, tolls and tariffs under the authority of the National Energy Board Act.[2] It dealt with approximately 750 applications annually, through written or oral proceedings.[3]

The National Energy Board also had jurisdiction over the construction and operation of international power lines, defined as lines built "for the purpose of transmitting electricity from or to a place in Canada from or to a place outside of Canada." The NEB authorized imports of natural gas, and exports of crude oil, natural gas, oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), refined petroleum products and electricity. The NEB also had jurisdiction over designated inter-provincial power lines, by determination of the federal Cabinet, but no such line has been designated, leaving the regulation of existing interties to provincial regulatory bodies.[4] Recent NEB decisions in favour of petroleum-industry interests have led to increasing controversy.[5]

On 28 August 2019, the NEB Act was repealed by the coming into force of the Canada Energy Regulator Act (CER Act).[6]

  1. ^ National Energy Board (2010), Who we are & our governance, Calgary, retrieved 7 September 2010{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Government of Canada (2014-04-01) [Enacted 1985], National Energy Board Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. N-7), Department of Justice, retrieved 2014-11-03
  3. ^ National Energy Board (2010), Our History, Calgary, retrieved 2010-09-07{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ^ Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP (March 2008), Overview of Electricity Regulation in Canada (PDF), archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-08, retrieved 2010-09-07
  5. ^ Global News (2014-03-14), National Energy Board Approves Enbridge's Line 9 with Conditions, retrieved 2014-11-25
  6. ^ Canadian Energy Regulator Act