BCUC Welcomes Commission Chair Reappointment and Deputy Chair Appointment

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The BC Utilities Commission (BCUC) is pleased to receive a five-year term reappointment for David M. Morton, as Chair and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the BCUC. In addition, the BCUC welcomes the appointment of Commissioner Anna Fung, QC to the position of Deputy Chair. These appointments are effective immediately.

"These two long term appointments for the positions of Chair and Deputy Chair are critical to the effectiveness of our organization and our ability to fulfill our mandate" said Viki Vourlis, Executive Director of Corporate Services. "The length of the terms will provide stability and consistency for our organization as we continue to undertake a significant volume of complex and technical work. Additionally, the creation of a Deputy Chair role will provide additional capacity to ensure our team is delivering timely and consistent decisions in the interest of British Columbians."

Chair Morton was appointed as a BCUC Commissioner in 2010. He was later appointed as Chair and CEO of the BCUC in December of 2015, following the completion of a three-year term and was reappointed to this position in 2018. As Chair and CEO, David Morton is responsible for delivering on the vision of the BCUC: to be a trusted and respected regulator that contributes to the well?being and long?term interests of British Columbians. He is also responsible for overseeing the daily operations and management of the BCUC. Since Mr. Morton's appointment as Chair and CEO in 2015, he has presided over important province-wide inquiries, overseen the corporate rebranding and BCUC website redesign, and reorganized the BCUC to a more team-based and skills-focused organization.

Chair Morton is also recognized in the international regulatory community as a highly skilled and knowledgeable leader. He serves as the Chair of International Relations for Canada's Energy and Utility Regulators (CAMPUT), and Chair of the CAMPUT Mandatory Reliability Standards Committee which represents Canadian regulators and their interests at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). He was also selected by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) to serve as a Co-Vice Chair of its Committee on International Relations.

Anna Fung was appointed to a four-year term as a BCUC full-time Commissioner in December 2017. As Deputy Chair, Commissioner Fung will be responsible for assisting the Chair and CEO with delivering on the mission, vision and values of the BCUC. In her role as Deputy Chair, Commissioner Fung will facilitate the work of Commissioners to ensure decisions are completed in a timely, effective and efficient manner. She will take on a more active role in liaising with stakeholders on behalf of the BCUC. In her new role, she will review panel decisions to ensure their quality and consistency, and when necessary she will be delegated to act in place of Chair Morton. She will also continue to serve as a full-time Commissioner.

The details of Chair Morton's and Deputy Chair Fung's appointments are outlined in the Province of British Columbia Orders in Council No. 490 and 491.

Commissioner Biographies

David Morton - David was appointed Chair and CEO of the BCUC in December 2015. David's responsibility is to deliver on the vision of the BCUC: to be a trusted and respected regulator that contributes to the well?being and long?term interests of British Columbians. In addition, to being the Chair and CEO, he is also a Commissioner - a role he has had since 2010. He considers this to be a key part of his leadership role. As a result, he continues to participate, usually as the Panel Chair, in several key proceedings. Significant proceedings that he recently led include the Site C Inquiry, the largest proceeding ever undertaken by the BCUC, and the Gasoline and Diesel Prices Inquiry.

David also has more than 25 years of experience as a consultant in the information technology sector. He is a Professional Engineer in British Columbia, has a Licentiate in Accounting from the Society of Management Accountants Canada, is certified with the ICD.D designation in 2013 by the Institute of Corporate Directors and holds a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Toronto. David also serves as a director for the Arts Club Theatre Company, and as President of the West Vancouver Community Arts Council.

Anna Fung, QC - Anna was appointed as a full-time BCUC Commissioner in December 2017 after serving as Vice President of Legal and General Counsel for TimberWest Forest Corp. During her tenure there, she also served as the inaugural Chief Ethics Officer. She was previously Corporate Counsel at Intrawest ULC and Senior Counsel at BC Gas Inc. Anna holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (English and French) from the University of British Columbia. She earned her Certified Corporate Counsel designation in 2015. She has served as President of each of the British Columbia Law Society, Canadian Corporate Counsel Association, People's Law School, Association of Chinese Canadian Professionals and BC Autism Association. She is a past director for the Vancouver Airport Authority and the current Chair of BC Unclaimed Property Society and a director for the Arts Club Theatre Company.

About the BCUC

The BCUC is a regulatory agency responsible for the oversight of energy utilities and compulsory auto insurance in British Columbia. It is the BCUC's role to balance the interests of customers with the interests of the businesses it regulates. The BCUC carries out fair and transparent reviews of matters within its jurisdiction and considers public input where public interest is impacted.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Krissy Van Loon
Manager, Communications
Phone: 604.660.4727
Email: [email protected]