Smell gas? Act in this order
Leave the building first. Then call.
ATCO Gas (all territory)
1-800-511-3447
Apex Utilities (rural)
1-866-222-2068

Do not use phones, light switches or appliances inside the affected building before you have evacuated. For immediate danger, call 911 first.

Distributor vs retailer: same as electricity

Alberta’s natural gas market is deregulated like its electricity market. The distributor owns the pipes that bring gas to your meter and is fixed by your address. The retailer sells you the gas commodity contract, sets the per-GJ rate and bills you monthly. You can switch retailer any time. The pipes do not change.

Gas distributor (fixed by address)
The pipes company
  • Owns the gas mains and service lines, reads your meter
  • Responds to leaks and emergencies 24/7
  • Delivery tariff set by AUC, same for every customer at your address
  • 3 main companies: ATCO Gas N, ATCO Gas S, Apex
Gas retailer (you choose)
The contract seller
  • Sells you the GJ contract, sets the per-GJ commodity rate
  • Sends the monthly bill, handles accounts
  • Switch any time, the pipes do not change
  • If you do not pick: default-supply rate, set monthly
See retailer directory

Alberta natural gas distributors

Click any card for the full contact, emergency, tariff and territory page.

Apex Utilities
Apex Utilities
Leduc

Investor-owned natural gas distributor

Customers: approximately 80,000 customers
Emergency: 1-866-222-2068
View distributor
ATCO Gas North
ATCO Gas North
Edmonton

Investor-owned natural gas distributor

Emergency: 1-800-511-3447
View distributor
ATCO Gas South
ATCO Gas South
Calgary

Investor-owned natural gas distributor

Emergency: 1-800-511-3447
View distributor

Filter by service area

All three are AUC-regulated investor-owned distributors. Choose by where you live.

Apex Utilities
Apex Utilities
Leduc
ATCO Gas North
ATCO Gas North
Edmonton
ATCO Gas South
ATCO Gas South
Calgary

How to find your gas distributor in 60 seconds

1
Check your gas bill

The distributor name appears under "Delivery charges" on every Alberta natural gas bill. Look for "ATCO Gas" or "Apex Utilities" alongside the per-GJ delivery rate.

2
Use your address

In Edmonton or north of Red Deer: ATCO Gas North. In Calgary or south: ATCO Gas South. In a rural community outside those metros: most likely Apex Utilities.

3
Call your retailer

Your gas retailer's customer service knows which pipes company serves your address. They can give it to you in under a minute.

Gas distributors by region

Where you live determines which pipes company serves you.

Northern + central AB

Edmonton metro and communities north of Red Deer

ATCO Gas North Apex (rural)
Calgary + southern AB

Calgary metro and communities south of Red Deer

ATCO Gas South
Rural Alberta (100+ communities)

Drayton Valley, Stettler, Lacombe, Rocky Mountain House, Whitecourt

Apex Utilities
Edmonton metropolitan area

Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park

ATCO Gas North

Gas-specific bill basics you should know

Natural gas bills look different from electricity in three important ways. Understanding each saves arguments at year-end.

Billed in gigajoules (GJ)

Not cubic metres. One GJ is roughly one winter day of heating for an average AB home. Annual consumption: typically 100 to 150 GJ.

Federal carbon levy removed (2024)

The consumer-facing federal carbon charge on natural gas was removed. The line should no longer appear on your bill. Industrial emissions pricing continues upstream.

Mercaptan: the rotten-egg smell

Natural gas is naturally odourless. Distributors add mercaptan so leaks are detectable. Smell it indoors? Leave first, call your distributor from outside.

Selectra energy expert insights

Save the leak line in your phone

Right now. ATCO Gas 1-800-511-3447, Apex 1-866-222-2068. You will never need it more urgently than when you do. Saving it now removes one source of panic.

Compare in $/GJ, not just rate

Some retailers advertise a low per-GJ rate but bury a higher fixed monthly admin fee. Annualise the cost: (per-GJ rate x your annual GJ) + (12 x admin fee). That number is the apples-to-apples figure.

Even-pay smooths winter spikes

Most Alberta gas distributors and retailers offer an "equal payment plan" that averages your annual cost across 12 months. It does not lower your bill, but it removes the January and February shock when consumption triples.

Selectra energy expert answers

How many natural gas distributors operate in Alberta?
Three main natural gas distributors cover almost all of Alberta. ATCO Gas North serves the Edmonton metropolitan area and communities north of Red Deer. ATCO Gas South covers Calgary and the south. Apex Utilities (formerly AltaGas Utilities) serves more than 100 rural communities outside the ATCO Gas footprint, primarily in central and northern Alberta. A handful of small municipal franchises operate inside town boundaries.

What number do I call if I smell gas?
Leave the building first, then call your gas distributor's 24/7 emergency line. ATCO Gas: 1-800-511-3447. Apex Utilities: 1-866-222-2068. Do not use phones, switches or appliances inside the affected area before evacuating. If you suspect immediate danger, call 911 first.

How is natural gas measured on my bill?
Alberta natural gas bills are denominated in gigajoules (GJ), not cubic metres. One GJ is roughly the energy used to heat an average Alberta home for about a day in winter. The delivery half of the bill (set by the distributor's AUC-approved tariff) is split between a fixed monthly charge and a per-GJ delivery rate. The commodity half (the gas itself) is sold by your retailer at a per-GJ rate.

Is the federal carbon levy still on my gas bill?
No. The federal consumer carbon charge on natural gas was removed in 2024 / early 2025 as part of the policy change that ended consumer-facing carbon pricing. Industrial emissions pricing continues at the producer level. Check your most recent gas bill: the "Federal carbon charge" line should no longer appear.

Why does gas smell like rotten eggs?
Natural gas is naturally odourless. Distributors add a chemical called mercaptan (often described as a rotten-egg or sulphur smell) so that leaks are immediately detectable. If you smell it indoors, treat it as an emergency.

Can I switch my natural gas retailer in Alberta?
Yes. Alberta's gas market is deregulated. You can pick any licensed retailer for your gas commodity, switch any time, and the wires-and-pipes company will keep delivering the gas regardless. If you do not choose, you default to the regulated default-supply rate set by your local default supplier.

Do gas distributors pay compensation for service interruptions?
No automatic statutory compensation. Damage claims (e.g. frozen pipes after a prolonged gas outage) are evaluated case-by-case on negligence. Weather, third-party damage to lines and planned maintenance shutdowns notified in advance are typically not compensated. Home insurance is usually the faster path for small losses.