Our Work

We are the Canada Energy Regulator (CER). We work for you to keep energy moving safely across Canada. We work in the public interest. This means we make decisions based on things that matter to everyone instead of only what’s best for a few.

We oversee how energy moves in Canada. We are in charge of keeping watch over the companies operating oil and gas pipelines and electrical powerlines that cross a national, provincial or territorial border.

We also:

  • Review applications for new projects and upgrades to current ones
  • Provide oversight of oil and gas exploration and activities on frontier lands and offshore not otherwise regulated under territorial law or joint federal/provincial accord
  • Decide what can be transported in pipelines and how much companies are allowed to charge for their services
  • Approve the export and import of natural gas and the export of oil
  • Provide people with energy statistics, analysis and information they can trust

We make fair, timely and inclusive decisions. We listen to different points of view and think carefully about scientific evidence. We are open about how we reach our decisions. And we are clear about how long people can expect our decisions to take. By working this way, our decisions reflect the things that matter most to Canadians.

We value accountability. Companies have to answer to us for how they make sure people and the environment stay protected. This starts even before we allow work to begin. We are on the ground while new projects are being built and while they are being operated. Even when pipelines or powerlines stop being used, we still keep watch.

We are also accountable for how well we do our work. We provide regular reporting on our successes as well as areas we are working to improve. We also provide formal reporting on areas like our spending and activities to the government that you elect in Parliament. We work for you and believe being up front with information helps to build stronger relationships over time.

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