Membership Terms

Customer Contract Simplified

Unless otherwise exempted by the Co-op Board of Directors, all members are obligated to sign a Customer Contract.  The main points of that contract are listed below:

DELIVERY AND SALE: The Co-op shall sell and deliver to the Consumer, so far as is practical to do so and the Consumer shall purchase from the Co-op all of his requirements for natural gas at the Service Location PROVIDED THAT the Co-op shall only be obligated to supply natural gas up to a maximum load of one (1) gigajoule per hour. In the event that the Consumer requires a supply of natural gas in excess of the maximum load, the Co-op may require the Consumer to pay the cost of the facilities to deliver such a load.

TITLE:  The title to the distribution systems up to and including the meter and including the extensions to serve other members or consumers shall be vested in the Co-op notwithstanding the contribution to the cost hereof made by the Consumer.  The Co-op shall have the right to make use of and/or continue the said line extensions for the purpose of serving other members or consumers, but shall consult with the Consumer and where practicable, having regard to construction costs and timing, determine a mutually agreeable location and routing and shall provide an additional written consent form to the Consumer for execution.

METER LOCATION:  The gas meter shall be placed on the Consumer’s property which the Co-op shall have the sole right to determine. The Consumer may designate his choice of location prior to construction and so notify the Co-op and the Co-op may comply with the Consumer’s wishes if in the opinion of the Co-op the location is suitable and practical for technical and safety reasons.

Title to the natural gas supplied by the Co-op shall pass from the Co-op to the Consumer at the outlet of the gas meter.

RIGHT OF WAY:  The Consumer shall grant to the Co-op, for the Consumer’s Land described herein, a utility of right-of-way and easement that the Co-op requires in order to construct and maintain its distribution system to serve the Consumer and other Consumers. In the event that the Co-op requests from the Consumer the right to re-enter the lands and construct an additional pipeline or pipelines to other Consumers, the Consumer shall consult with the Co-op to determine a reasonable location and routing having regard to costs and timing and in the spirit of cooperation, shall not unreasonably withhold executing the additional consent forms.

The utility right of way and easement granted shall remain in full force and effect for as long as the Co-op, its successors and assigns desire and so long as the Co-op, its successors and assigns, continue to maintain and operate distribution lines across the Consumer’s Land and will continue to operate notwithstanding the discontinuance of service by the Co-op, its successors and assigns, or the termination of this Agreement. Should the Association agree to sell the assets of the Co-op to another party, the Association may, as a condition of sale, restrict the scope of the utility right-of-way.

ACCESS:  The Co-op, its servants, agents and nominees, shall have the right of reasonable access to the Consumer’s Land at all reasonable times for the purpose of reading meters, and for the purpose of inspection of any of the lines, equipment or appliances upon the Consumer’s Land whether the same are the property of the Co-op or the Consumer and for the purpose of repairing or maintaining the same, or of removing all or any part of the same which are the property of the Co-op.

MAINTENANCE:  The Co-op shall at its sole risk and expense construct pipelines, meters, regulators, and other facilities needed to deliver natural gas to the outlet of the meter. The Co-op shall perform all the maintenance and make renewals or replacements as it sees fit to do so. The Co-op will not, however, be responsible for repairs, renewals, replacements or maintenance of the consumer’s piping or equipment beyond the outlet of the meter which is designated as the point of delivery.

DOWNSTREAM CONSTRUCTION:  The Consumer shall be liable for the costs of installation of all secondary piping beyond the outlet of the meter and within his own premises including the piping from the point of delivery to the buildings and shall assume all risk and responsibility with respect to such piping and his equipment and the protection of the same. The Consumer agrees that any such piping shall be done in conformity with all the laws, statutes, by-laws, rules and regulations relating to gas fitting applicable in the Province of Alberta and in conformity with any rules and regulations made by the Directors of the Co-op. The Co-op shall have the right to inspect such piping but such inspection shall not relieve the Consumer of his responsibility in respect of such piping and installation, or in respect of any of his equipment or appliances. In the event that the Consumer constructs a secondary service located downstream from the primary service, any person receiving natural gas service from the secondary service shall not have any rights as a member of the Co-op nor be a member of the Co-op.  Additionally, the Consumer shall remain liable for all debts incurred by the Consumer utilizing the secondary service to the Co-op.

WARNING AND INDEMNITY:  The Co-op shall incur no liability by reason of failure to supply natural gas for any cause beyond the reasonable control of the Co-op, nor shall it be liable for loss, costs, or damage to persons or property arising or resulting from the supply or use of natural gas. The Consumer is hereby warned of the danger from contact with any part of the Co-op’s lines or equipment, and he shall at all times exercise every reasonable precaution necessary to prevent any damage to said lines and equipment. In the event of any accident, injury or damage occurring by reason or tampering, full responsibility therefore as between the Co-op and the Consumer shall be upon the Consumer and the Consumer shall at all times indemnify and save harmless the Co-op from any and all claims for damage arising by reason and such accident, injury or damages. The Consumer shall be responsible for all the damages to the lines and equipment on his property due to his and/or his agent’s negligence.

RESALE:  The Consumer shall not resell natural gas delivered to him under the terms of his Agreement.

DISCONTINUANCE OF SERVICE:  The Co-op shall have the right to discontinue or refuse to continue the supply of natural gas to the Consumer for any of the following reasons:

  1. lack of supply of natural gas;
  2. repairs or alterations to the Co-op’s piping or equipment;
  3. conditions which in the opinion of the Co-op are dangerous to life or property;
  4. to prevent fraud, abuse to Co-op property or the resale to others of natural gas;
  5. non-payment of any account when due;
  6. the insolvency or bankruptcy of the Consumer;
  7. the use not in conformity with the provisions of the Agreement by the Consumer of any natural gas;
  8. the breach by the Consumer of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

The Co-op shall not be required to provide notice of discontinuance for the reasons set out in subclauses (1) to (3) inclusive but shall give forty-eight (48) hours notice of discontinuance for the reasons set out in subclauses (4) to (8) inclusive.

The discontinuance of the supply of natural gas for any reason aforesaid shall in no way affect any other rights or remedies that the Co-op may have against the Consumer. The Co-op shall have the right to charge the Consumer a reconnection fee as set from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Co-op before the supply of natural gas is reconnected after discontinuance for any of the reasons set out in subclauses (3) to (8).

NOTICE:  The Co-op may serve any discontinuance notice, or other document required to be served hereunder by mailing the same by prepaid registered mail to the Consumer at the address herein provided or by delivering the same to the premises where natural gas is being supplied by the Co-op and/or attaching the same to the door of the premises. In the event that clause15 hereof applies, notice shall be given by mail to the Consumer and by delivery to the premises where the natural gas is being supplied.

The Consumer may give notice to the Co-op by delivering the same to the Co-op’s head office and leaving the same with the general manager or by mailing the same by prepaid registered mail to the Co-op at the address herein provided.  

Any such notice or document shall be conclusively deemed to have been given and received if delivered, on the date of such delivery, or if mailed, seven (7) days after such mailing. Either party may change its address by notice in writing served upon the other party.

GAS RATES:  The Consumer shall pay to the Co-op for natural gas at a rate set by the Board of Directors of the Co-op from time to time. Payment by the Consumer for gas purchased during each calendar month shall be made to the Co-op or its agent on or before the 25h day of the month following the month in which the Consumer was invoiced for such purchases and accounts for natural gas and operating charges which are not paid when due shall bear interest at a rate as set by the Board of Directors of the Co-op from time to time.

OPERATING CHARGE:  The Consumer shall pay to the Co-op a monthly operating charge as set by the Board of Directors of the Co-op from time to time. The operating charge shall be payable by the Consumer from the 1st day of the month following the date on which the natural gas is made available to the Consumer at the Service Location whether or not the Consumer is burning natural gas and payable on the same date and in the same manner as gas rates.

In the event that the Consumer does not submit to the Co-op a reading of the gas meter as when required by the Co-op, the Co-op may read the meter and charge the Consumer a fee for such meter reading as may be determined by the Board of Directors of the Co-op from time to time.

RENTAL PROPERTY:  In the event that the Consumer has entered into or hereafter enters into an agreement whereby the Consumer’s Land to which natural gas is supplied is rented to a third party, the Consumer shall be liable to the Co-op from the time of notice by the Co-op to the Consumer of default in payment by the third party for all rates, charges and other costs (including interest therein) charged hereunder notwithstanding that the third party has entered into a customer contract with the Co-op and notwithstanding that the invoice for natural gas and the operating charge is addressed to such third party.

TERM:  This Agreement shall be for a term of 10 years from the date first above written and therefore shall continue in force from year to year subject to terminate at the end of such year by either party giving to the other party at least thirty (30) days notice in writing of such termination.

TRANSFER:  The Agreement is not transferable or assignable by the Consumer.

VERBAL AGREEMENTS:  No promises, agreements or representations by an agent or employee of the Co-op shall be binding upon the Co-op unless the same is incorporated into this Agreement before it is signed and accepted by the Co-op.

AGENTS:  Notwithstanding anything herein contained, the Co-op shall be entitled to assign all of its rights or obligations under this Agreement and may from time to time appoint, employ or engage a person, firm or corporation to do any act or thing which the Co-op is required or entitled to do hereunder, either in its own name or in the name of the Co-op. In such event, such person, firm or corporation shall have the right to access the Consumer’s Land set out in clause 5 and 6 herein.

DEFINITIONS:  IT IS UNDERSTOOD that subject to clause 17, herein this Agreement shall ensure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Co-op, its successors and assigns and the Consumer his executors and administrators, successors and assigns and that wherever the singular or masculine is used herein the same shall be construed as meaning the plural or feminine or a body corporate where the context so requires and that if the Consumer is two or more parties the agreements and covenants on their part shall be deemed to be joint and several.

ENCUMBRANCE:  The Consumer hereby charges and encumbers his estate and interest in the Consumer’s Land to the extent of any monies owing by the Consumer to the Co-op from time to time under the terms hereof together with any costs, including legal fees on a solicitor and client basis, incurred by the Co-op in the collection thereof, and acknowledges and agrees that the Co-op may, upon default of payment of any amount owing hereunder, register a Caveat against the title to the Consumer’s Land respecting such debt. The foregoing shall be an addition to, and not in derogation from or substitution for, any other rights or remedies to which the Co-op may be entitled.  The Consumer’s Land referred to in this clause pertains only to that Land served by this contract as described on this contract.

SUBDIVISION OF CONSUMER’S LAND:  In the event that the Consumer subdivides the lands that are described in this Contract, this Contract shall apply to the portion of the lands where the primary service riser is located. Any land served by natural gas which does not form part of the titled parcel where the primary riser is located shall require a new Customer Contract and the payment of the contract fee.  Upon the Co-op becoming aware of an aforesaid subdivision, the Co-op shall have the right to terminate gas service to the subdivided portion of the land not contained in the primary service location.

REGULATIONS:  This Agreement is made subject to all policies passed by the Board of Directors of the Co-op from time to time and of any governmental body having jurisdiction and such rules and regulations form a part of this Agreement. Copies of pertinent policies passed by the Board of Directors are available to the Consumer at the Co-op’s head office but the Co-op retains the right to allow access to the Consumer only those policies that directly affect the Consumer. Some policies only affect the internal affairs of the Co-op and are confidential.

Contact Information Kept Accurate

Due to the nature of our industry, it is of utmost importance that we have current contact information (phone numbers, up to date mailing address, up to date email address (if applicable)). If you are away for extended periods of time, please provide us with contact information of the person(s) watching your property.”

Meter Set

Gas Meter Safety….we appreciate your co-operation in taking care of the gas meter
Some Guidelines to ensure the meter is always safe and accessible:

  • Don’t tie pets to the meter set. Make sure your pets are not a threat to our staff.
  • Don’t tie or lean things onto the meter set or piping.
  • Don’t cover the meter set or piping with additions or decks.

When the snow needs shoveling, it’s probably a good time to take a look at your outdoor gas meter. Overhead icicles and freezing run-off can damage your gas meter and regulator or create a serious fire or carbon monoxide hazard. It’s important to keep your meter and regulator clear and accessible.

Here’s how you can avoid any problems:

  • Never shovel snow against the gas meter and regulator.
  • Use a broom to gently clear the snow or ice away from the meter and regulator.
  • Protect your meter set from overhead icicles. Repair leaking seams on your eavestroughs, downspouts or roof above the gas meter and regulator. Make sure no water drips or runs on the meter.
  • If you use a shovel to remove ice and snow, do so very carefully. Don’t kick or strike the meter or regulator to remove ice from the equipment.