Engineers and Geoscientists BC exists to set and uphold professional standards—not to dictate fuel choices. Yet an upcoming AGM motion to “avoid specifying gas-fired equipment wherever technically feasible” would push EGBC into policymaking and away from its core mandate. (Click HERE to read our letter opposing this motion.)
This motion flips the burden of proof onto anyone who wants to specify high-efficiency natural gas, undermining professional judgment and elevating ideology over engineering. A regulator’s job is to keep the standards high and the playing field level—not to act as a parallel energy ministry.
B.C.’s grid is already under strain. BC Hydro is scrambling to find thousands of gigawatt-hours of new power, and the costs of pushing everything onto electricity will land squarely on families, hospitals, and small businesses. Meanwhile, natural gas—including renewable and blended options—remains an essential part of affordable, reliable, lower-carbon energy systems.
ICBA supports practical, technology-neutral decarbonization. Engineers should be empowered to compare all options—electric, hybrid, gas, or district energy—based on evidence, safety, cost, and performance.
If you’re an EGBC member, we urge you to vote against this motion. Protect professional independence. Keep the regulator neutral. Let engineers engineer.
