Freedom of Information Requests
Start by checking what's already public
The information you're looking for may already be publicly available. You may wish to check the sources below before making a freedom of information request.
Personal BC Hydro account information
If you’re looking for information about your household’s BC Hydro account, we recommend creating an online MyHydro profile. In just a few steps, you’ll get 24/7 access to your statement balance, electricity usage data and other account details. Log in to:
- Download billing and usage history, including annual billing summaries
- Schedule recurring exports of billed electricity use and account charges
You can also view up to three years of billing, usage and payment history, including:
- Billing graphs
- Account balance details, such as your current balance
- Payments received after the last invoice date
- Invoices in PDF format, which can be viewed the day after the invoice is produced
- Note that customers holding multiple accounts under the same name can request to have those accounts consolidated and invoiced as a single bill
If you need help setting up your MyHydro profile or accessing the information outlined above, contact us at 1 800-BC HYDRO (1 800 224 9376).
Site C
Information related to the Site C construction project is available on the Site C website. The site includes a document library.
Annual Reports, Financial Reports, and Service Plans
You can access past and present Annual Reports and Service Plans.
BC Hydro reports under the Financial Information Act and issues FIA Reports.
Regulatory matters
If you are looking for records relating to BCUC filings, tariff matters, and other regulatory information, please see the latest Regulatory Information.
Dam safety
BC Hydro issues dam safety reports and makes these available on our Dam Safety & BC Hydro page.
Electric vehicle charger installation and data
You can obtain more information and assistance with determining what you need to install an electric vehicle charger at your home, apartment or work on our electric vehicle website.
Make a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request
If you cannot locate the information you are looking for online, then you can submit a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act), as outlined below. Please note that a request under the Act must be for records that are in the custody or under the control of BC Hydro – a request under the Act does not provide answers to general questions or queries.
- You may submit your FOI Request by using the online request form, by mail or by fax.
- You may use BC Hydro’s standard FOI Request form [PDF, 125 KB] or by sending a letter that states that you are making a "Freedom of Information request" for records. Be sure to include your contact information so we can respond to you.
- Keep your request simple, clear, and focused to reduce processing time and avoid fees.
- If you are requesting personal information on behalf of another individual, you will need to include proof that you are authorized to act on their behalf.
- If you are requesting your own personal information, we may ask for proof of identity.
Online
Download and complete the FOI request form [PDF, 125 KB]
You may mail your FOI request form [PDF, 125 KB] to:
Freedom of Information Coordinating Office
333 Dunsmuir St.
Vancouver, B.C., V6B 5R3
Fax
You may fax your FOI request form [PDF, 125 KB] to 604 623 4556.
- We review your request, making sure that your request is for information that BC Hydro holds, and not some other public body.
- We may contact you to clarify your request.
- If your request is for records held by BC Hydro and clear, we will contact you and let you know when you can expect to have your request fulfilled. The Act requires us to respond to your request within 30 business days of receiving it.
- You will NOT be charged for access to your own personal information or for the first three hours spent locating records responsive to your request.
- If it will take longer than three hours to retrieve the records you requested or require additional processing, we will send you a fee estimate invoice.
- You must pay a 50% deposit of the fee estimate invoice before we can continue with your request. Or, you may choose to revise your request to reduce the time it will take to complete it.
- Our preference is to send responses by email – it saves paper and avoids printing fees.
- We work with record custodians within BC Hydro to search for and gather the records responsive to your request.
- If your request captures a large number of records, we may take longer to respond. We may also extend when we are required to consult with another public body or third-party if the request captured information about them. We will inform you of any extensions.
- We review the records and can withhold information that meets one of the exceptions to disclosure listed in the Act, such as if the disclosure would be an unreasonable invasion of privacy or cause financial harm to a third party, etc.
- If a record has information we cannot provide, we cover that information with a black box, and mark it with the relevant section(s) of the Act that explains why we withheld the information.
- If a record has several sections of information we cannot provide, we may refuse access to that entire record.
- We prepare our response package and respond to your request in one of four ways:
- We provide you the information
- We provide you the information with redactions
- We do not provide you the information (i.e., is completely withheld)
- We neither confirm nor deny the existence of the information
- In cases where we have withheld information, we must let you know the reasons why by indicating which sections of the Act are being relied upon to withhold the information.
- For all responses we also provide you with the contact information for the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner should you wish to challenge the response.