FAQs

As it’s name suggests, the Panel is responsible for reviewing rate applications submitted by SaskPower, SaskEnergy and the SGI Auto Fund. The Panel reviews each application to determine the fairness and reasonableness of the rate request, keeping in mind the interests of customers, the Crown Corporation and the shareholders, the people of Saskatchewan.

Telecommunications is considered a national undertaking. SaskTel is regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

The Minister responsible for the Crown Investments Corporation appoints the seven members of the Panel. The Crown Investments Corporation is the holding company for the province’s commercial Crown Corporations.

Panel members are selected for their understanding of the financial and economic environment in which the Crowns operate, and the issues involved with proposed rate changes. They are also chosen for their involvement in their communities, and for their volunteer work at the local, provincial and national levels.

Outside experts provide the Panel with the technical expertise necessary to examine the complex issues in the applications in greater depth. Most of these experts have considerable experience working on similar reviews with boards and commissions in other provinces. The Panel chooses technical experts from out of province to bring an independent perspective and unbiased opinions to the rate review process.

The Panel’s home page will indicate if a review is currently underway for any of the three Crowns.

The “Rate Review” link at the top of each page has a drop-down menu that will take you to any current reviews, or to the most recent completed review for each Crown.

Look for the Submit Feedback button on any "In Progress" application. Completed applications are no longer open to comments.

Visit the Get Involved page for more information.

Comments posted through the website during a review are gathered into a database, and are screened before being posted. This includes comments received by email, mail, phone messages, the Panel’s Submissions and Comments form, and via Facebook and Twitter.

Comments related to a specific review are posted to the Panel website, as part of the public consultation process. All comments posted during the period allowed for public comment are gathered together in a database and remain part of the public record for each review, including completed reviews.

Often, but not always. In its reviews the Panel also examines the Crown’s longer-term financial situation, and how that might affect the corporation, its customers and the financial return to the shareholder.

For example, in its 2015 review of a SaskEnergy rate application, the Panel agreed that the proposed decrease in the commodity rate and the proposed increase in the delivery rate were reasonable. However, the Panel noted the potential for large increases in the delivery rate in future years as SaskEnergy expands its delivery system to serve new customers. The Panel also noted the potential for rate shock if the price of natural gas were to rise quickly, and suggested customers would be better served by more frequent and smaller rate adjustments.

As another example, in its 2014 review of the Saskatchewan Auto Fund rate proposal the Panel recommended a lower rate increase than requested, and made other recommendations regarding rate rebalancing and rate capping that deviated from the Auto Fund rate proposal, to mitigate rate shock in some vehicle classes.