CONP12656 – Application for a Marketing of Gas and or Electricity Business Licence

Jurisdiction: Country: Canada | Province or State: Alberta

What is a CONP12656 – Application for a Marketing of Gas and or Electricity Business Licence?

This is the provincial licence application you use to get approval to market, solicit, and enter retail contracts for natural gas and/or electricity with customers in Alberta. If you sell, broker, or enroll customers into energy contracts—by phone, online, or in person—you need this licence before you start. The form captures who you are, how you sell, and how you will protect consumers. It also collects the legal declarations the regulator needs to assess your fitness to hold a licence.

You typically complete this form if you are an energy retailer, broker, aggregator, or marketing firm that promotes and enrolls customers into competitively priced energy plans. That includes residential and small business marketing, as well as commercial marketing where you sell standardized retail contracts. If you subcontract sales, run a call centre, use online sign-up flows, or hire independent sales contractors to enroll customers, you still need the licence. The obligation attaches to the business that markets and signs customers, not only the entity that ultimately supplies energy.

You would need this form if you plan to

• Start a new Alberta energy marketing business.
• Expand your existing energy marketing into Alberta.
• Add gas marketing, electricity marketing, or both, to your services.
• Renew, amend, or reinstate a lapsed licence.
• Change key details that affect your licence, such as a new legal name, new trade names, a change in control, or changes to your security.

Typical scenarios include

• A national retailer entering Alberta.
• A brokerage launching a web enrollment platform for small businesses.
• A call centre selling fixed-rate electricity plans for a retailer.
• A municipal utilities or co-ops that market competitive contracts to customers outside their traditional service base.

If your marketing includes any element of offering, soliciting, or entering retail energy contracts with Alberta customers, this is the licence application you use.

The form itself is structured and practical. You identify your legal entity, trade names, and corporate officers. You select whether you seek a gas licence, an electricity licence, or both. You describe your sales channels and complaint-handling processes. You provide security details, attach required documents, and certify you will comply with consumer protection rules. You finish by signing a declaration that the information is true and complete.

When Would You Use a CONP12656 – Application for a Marketing of Gas and or Electricity Business Licence?

You use this application at the point you are ready to market energy to Alberta customers. That may be before you sign any customers, but after you have your business organized and your compliance program ready. For example, if you are a new retailer with supply and billing arrangements in place, you file this form to obtain legal authorization to market. If you are a broker who will solicit quotes and enroll small businesses into fixed-term electricity or gas contracts, you file the form before those activities begin.

You also use it when your business model changes in a way that affects your licence. If you add a new trade name that will appear on your marketing materials, you submit an amendment. If you move your head office or open a new Alberta location that will keep customer records, you update the licence. If new directors join your board or you have a change of control, you file an update so the regulator can reassess fitness. If your security instrument changes or approaches expiry, you submit the new security details through this application process.

Renewal is another common use. Licences are not indefinite. You must renew before expiry to keep marketing without interruption. Many businesses set a calendar reminder several weeks in advance to ensure time for processing. If you miss renewal and your licence lapses, you must stop marketing and apply to reinstate.

If you used to sell only through a partner and now plan to market under your own brand, you will need to apply. If you marketed only electricity and now intend to sell gas as well, you add that activity. If you will start using a call centre, online flows, or third-party marketers to reach customers, you update your licence details to reflect those channels. If your contracts or sales scripts change materially, you ensure your attachments reflect those updates when you renew or amend.

Typical users

• Energy retailers and competitive suppliers.
• Energy brokers and aggregators marketing standardized retail contracts.
• Call centre operators acting as the marketer of record.
• Marketing agencies that enroll customers on behalf of a licensed retailer under the marketer’s brand.
• Technology platforms offering online energy plan enrollments.

By contrast, you do not use this form if you are a large industrial customer negotiating a bespoke supply agreement for your own use, or a landlord contracting energy for your own buildings without reselling or marketing to others. The licence is for marketing to customers, not for self-supply.

Legal Characteristics of the CONP12656 – Application for a Marketing of Gas and or Electricity Business Licence

This application is a formal filing under provincial consumer protection law. When you submit it, you make legally binding declarations about your identity, your business, and your compliance obligations. You certify that the information is accurate and complete. You also agree to abide by licence conditions and applicable consumer protection rules for energy marketing. Those rules cover disclosures, contract content, cancellation rights, prohibited practices, training, and record-keeping.

The form is enforceable because the regulator issues a licence on the strength of your filing. The licence comes with conditions. If you breach those conditions or provide false or misleading information, the regulator can suspend, cancel, or refuse to renew your licence. It can also impose administrative penalties or pursue enforcement action. Making a false statement on the application can be an offence. That risk extends to directors and officers where they authorize or acquiesce in non-compliance.

What ensures enforceability?

Enforceability also rests on security that you must maintain as a licence condition. The security instrument—often a bond or irrevocable letter of credit—can be drawn to compensate eligible consumer losses where required by law. The form requires you to identify your security type and amount, and to keep it in force throughout the licence term. If security lapses, your licence can be suspended. If you trade under multiple names, your security must cover all of them.

Privacy obligations also apply. The regulator collects personal information of owners, directors, and designated officials to assess fitness. It discloses business licence status publicly so customers can verify you are authorized. You consent to these uses in the application. You must also protect customer personal information you collect during marketing and enrollment, and use it only for lawful purposes.

There are additional legal considerations tied to how you sell. If you use in-person solicitation, you must comply with identification, disclosure, and post-contract rights. If you sell by phone or online, you must provide clear, accessible pre-contract disclosures, ensure informed consent, and provide a written copy of the agreement. Contracts must be in plain language, include required terms, and highlight cancellation rights. You must retain records so you can demonstrate compliance. If you use third-party marketers, you are responsible for their conduct. You must supervise, train, and audit them.

Finally, do not market without a valid licence. Marketing activity includes promotion that leads to enrollment, not just the final signature. If you expand into gas or electricity after being licensed for only one, you must amend your licence first. If your corporate structure, trade names, or key personnel change, you keep your licence information current within required timelines. That duty to update helps ensure your licence remains valid and enforceable.

How to Fill Out a CONP12656 – Application for a Marketing of Gas and or Electricity Business Licence

Follow these steps to complete the application accurately and avoid delays.

1) Confirm that you need the licence

• Map your activities. If you solicit, market, broker, or enroll Alberta customers into retail gas or electricity contracts, you need this licence.
• Decide which activities apply: gas, electricity, or both.
• If you only provide back-office services with no marketing or enrollment role, the marketer of record should hold the licence.

2) Assemble required information and documents

• Legal entity details: exact legal name, Alberta corporate access number (if applicable), incorporation jurisdiction, and date of incorporation. Have your certificate of incorporation or registration ready.
• Trade names: list every name you will use in marketing. Your security must cover each one.
• Business locations: physical head office address, Alberta records location (where you store contracts and records), and mailing address.
• Key people: full names, titles, dates of birth, and home addresses for directors, officers, significant owners, and the designated official who oversees compliance.
• Security: choose your security instrument (bond or letter of credit), confirm the amount required for your model, and obtain a signed original from your surety or bank. Ensure the beneficiary, amount, and wording meet the regulator’s requirements.
• Sales model: describe channels (online, phone, in-person), any third-party marketers, and how you train, supervise, and audit them.
• Consumer documents: current standard-form contracts for gas and/or electricity, plain-language disclosures, price sheets, sales scripts, and confirmation processes. Include a sample welcome package and contract summary.
• Policies and procedures: complaint-handling policy, cancellation and refund process, privacy policy, sales conduct code, training materials, and record retention policy.
• Financial and fitness: bankruptcy or insolvency disclosures, outstanding judgments, prior regulatory actions, and criminal history for key people, if any. Prepare explanations and supporting documents if applicable.
• Payment method: licence fee payment details.

3) Complete the application header

• Select application type: New, Renewal, or Amendment.
• Select scope: Gas, Electricity, or Both.
• If amending, state what changed (for example, add a trade name or update security).

4) Identify the applicant

• Enter the legal name exactly as it appears on your incorporation document.
• Provide the corporate access or registration number, incorporation jurisdiction, and date.
• List all trade names. These must match your marketing materials, website, and scripts.
• Provide the head office address, records location in Alberta, and mailing address.
• Enter general contact information and your business website and customer service email.

5) Appoint your designated official

• Name the individual responsible for day-to-day compliance with energy marketing rules.
• Provide their title, direct phone, and email. This person must be reachable.
• Confirm authority. The designated official should have the authority to implement training, stop non-compliant sales, and handle regulator inquiries.

6) Disclose ownership and control

• List directors, officers, and any individual or entity with significant ownership or control.
• Provide full legal names, titles, dates of birth, and home addresses as requested.
• If the ownership structure includes holding companies, attach an ownership chart.

7) Describe your sales channels and oversight

• Indicate whether you market in-person, by phone, online, or through partners.
• If you use third-party marketers, provide their legal names and how you supervise them.
• Outline your salesperson vetting, training frequency, monitoring, and disciplinary process.
• Explain your enrollment flow. Note how you confirm identity, confirm consent, and provide contract copies. Include call recordings and e-signature processes where relevant.

8) Attach your consumer-facing documents

• Standard-form contract for gas and/or electricity. Include all terms, schedules, and price details.
• Pre-contract disclosures and summaries in plain language.
• Sales scripts and online or call-centre prompts that cover required disclosures.
• Cancellation instructions and timelines. Show how customers can cancel and get refunds where applicable.
• Complaint-handling policy with response timelines and escalation steps.
• Welcome letter or package, including how customers get contract copies and renewal notices.

9) Provide your security

• Attach the original bond or letter of credit. Verify the correct beneficiary, amount, and effective date.
• Confirm coverage extends to all listed trade names.
• Ensure the instrument renews automatically or you have a process to replace it before expiry.
• If the instrument replaces an old one, note the replacement date and any overlap.

10) Confirm records and storage

• Identify where you will store customer records in Alberta and how long you will keep them.
• Describe your capability to produce contracts, call recordings, and disclosures upon request.
• Note your data protection measures and access controls.

11) Make required declarations

• Answer fitness questions truthfully. If there were prior bankruptcies, regulatory actions, or convictions, disclose them and attach explanations.
• Certify compliance with consumer protection rules for energy marketing.
• Confirm you will not market until the licence is issued.
• Acknowledge that the regulator may verify information and contact third parties.

12) Sign and date the application

• The signing officer must be a director, officer, or authorized partner.
• Use the full legal name and title of the signatory.
• If required, include an original signature. For online filing, follow the digital signature instructions.

13) Pay the fee

• Calculate the correct fee for your application type.
• Pay using an accepted method. Match the payer name to the applicant to avoid delays.
• Keep proof of payment with your submission record.

14) Submit the application

• Submit online or by the method specified on the form.
• If mailing hard copies, include the original security instrument and signed forms.
• Keep a full copy of all documents, scripts, and attachments.

15) Respond to follow-ups

• Watch for regulator emails or calls. Provide any additional documents promptly.
• Be prepared to clarify sales scripts, contract terms, or your training program.
• Do not market until you receive your licence certificate or official confirmation.

16) After approval

• Display your licence details in your customer materials as required.
• Train all sales staff and third-party marketers using your approved materials.
• Implement monitoring. Record calls, audit enrolments, and track complaints.
• Keep your security current and renew your licence before it expires.

17) Maintain and amend as your business changes

• Update your licence if you add or change trade names.
• Amend if you add gas or electricity, change your designated official, or move records.
• Notify of ownership or control changes and submit updated disclosures.
• Replace your security well before expiry to avoid suspension.

Practical tips to avoid delays

• Use consistent names. Your legal name, trade names, and names on the security instrument must match the application.
• Submit complete packages. Missing contracts, scripts, or security cause most delays.
• Keep documents in plain language. Contracts and disclosures should be clear and readable.
• Train before you market. Your staff should know the rules and scripts before launch.
• Supervise third parties. Your licence responsibility includes your agents’ conduct.

Understanding parties, clauses, signatures, and schedules in the form

• Parties: The applicant business (you) and the provincial regulator that issues the licence. If you have parent or affiliate entities involved in marketing, you disclose them, but the applicant remains the party responsible for compliance.
• Clauses: The form includes declarations that the information is true, that you will comply with consumer protection rules, and that you consent to verification checks. It may also include a clause allowing public posting of your licence status.
• Signatures: A director, officer, or authorized partner must sign. The signature binds the applicant to the declarations and conditions.
• Schedules: You attach schedules such as your security instrument, corporate documents, ownership charts, standard contracts, disclosures, scripts, complaint policy, training materials, and any explanatory statements regarding fitness disclosures.

Real-world examples

• A start-up retailer plans to sell fixed-rate electricity plans to small businesses via an online portal and call centre. It registers a legal entity and two trade names. It develops a plain-language contract, a contract summary, and disclosures. It signs a $50,000 security instrument that names the regulator as beneficiary and lists both trade names. It trains call centre agents, implements call recording, and builds an online flow that shows all disclosures before customers consent. It completes the application, lists the designated official, discloses the sales channels, and attaches all documents. After approval, it launches marketing. When it adds gas plans six months later, it files an amendment before marketing gas.
• A brokerage works with independent field marketers to enroll residential customers. It bans high-pressure tactics, requires visible ID badges, and provides a clear cooling-off period in contracts. It submits the application, lists its third-party marketers, includes its training manual and audit plan, and files its security. When the brokerage changes its head office and adds a new trade name, it amends the licence so all details match before the new trade name appears in the field.

If you approach the form with this level of detail, you reduce processing delays and protect your launch timeline. Focus on accuracy, completeness, and clear consumer protections. That is what the regulator will look for, and it is what your customers expect.

Legal Terms You Might Encounter

• A marketer is the business that promotes or sells energy plans to customers. On this form, you identify your business as the marketer and choose gas, electricity, or both. Your licence authorizes that activity.
• A licence is the government’s permission to operate in this market. By submitting this form, you request that permission for the commodity boxes you check. You must hold the licence before you start marketing.
• An authorized representative is the person who signs and deals with the regulator for you. The form asks for their full name and contact details. Pick someone who can answer compliance questions fast.
• A trade name is the name you use in advertising that differs from the legal entity name. The form asks you to list all trade names you will use. If a name is missing, you cannot use it in marketing.
• An agent or contractor is anyone who sells or promotes on your behalf. The form typically requires a list of these individuals or firms. You remain responsible for their conduct.
• Security or bond is money or an instrument that protects consumers. The form may ask for the amount, provider, and proof. You cannot finalize the licence without meeting this requirement, if applicable.
• A statutory declaration is a sworn statement about your history and eligibility. Owners, partners, or directors may need to complete one. The form will indicate who must sign and in what capacity.
• A material change is any significant change to your business details. Examples include new owners, trade names, or agents. After filing this form, you must report material changes within the required timeframe.
• An administrative penalty is a fine or sanction for breaking the rules. False statements on this form can lead to penalties. Omissions can also trigger enforcement or licence suspension.
• A cooling‑off period is the time a consumer has to cancel a new energy contract. Your marketing scripts and sales process must reflect this right. The form may ask how you will meet this requirement.

FAQs

Do you need this licence if you only generate leads?

Yes, if your activity promotes gas or electricity supply to consumers. Lead generation tied to a specific supplier or offer counts as marketing. Apply before you start any consumer outreach.

Do you need separate licences for gas and electricity?

You choose gas, electricity, or both on the form. If you will market both, select both. You cannot market a commodity you did not select until you receive approval for it.

Do you need this licence if you only market to businesses?

It depends on who you target and how you sell. If you market to small businesses that resemble consumers, you likely need it. When in doubt, apply or seek written confirmation before you start.

Do out‑of‑province companies need this licence?

Yes, if you market to customers in the province. You may also need a local address for service and a designated representative. List all Canadian trade names you will use in‑province.

Can you use subcontracted sales agents?

Yes, but you must list them. Include legal names and contact details for each agent or firm. Update the regulator when you add or remove agents. You remain responsible for their conduct.

How long does approval take?

Timelines vary. Plan for several weeks from a complete submission. Missing documents or unclear answers can pause review. Speed approvals by using exact legal names and consistent addresses.

Do you need insurance or a bond?

Often yes. The form may require proof of security, bonding, or insurance. Submit the instrument, amount, issuer details, and any expiry dates. Keep coverage active for the full licence term.

Can you start marketing while the application is pending?

No. Wait until you receive the licence. Marketing without a licence can lead to immediate enforcement, fines, and application denial. Build your training and scripts while you wait.

How do renewals work?

Licences expire. Renew before the expiry date to avoid a lapse. Keep your security and insurance current. Update ownership, agents, and trade names as part of renewal.

What if your business details change after approval?

File an amendment. Changes to owners, officers, trade names, or agents are material. Report the change promptly using the regulator’s required process. Do not wait for renewal.

Checklist: Before, During, and After the CONP12656 – Application for a Marketing of Gas and or Electricity Business Licence

Before you sign

• Confirm your legal entity name, exact as registered.
• List all trade names you will use in marketing.
• Gather incorporation or partnership documents.
• Prepare a list of directors, officers, and partners.
• Identify your authorized representative and backup contact.
• Compile a list of sales agents and contractors with legal names.
• Draft your complaint handling and escalation procedures.
• Prepare your consumer contract templates and scripts.
• Confirm your training program covers sales standards and cooling‑off rights.
• Obtain criminal history declarations or statutory declarations from required individuals.
• Arrange security or bond, with amount and issuer details.
• Obtain proof of insurance, including policy number and limits if required.
• Verify your physical and mailing addresses.
• Confirm your registered office and service address for legal notices.
• Set aside application fees and know the payment method.
• Review past disciplinary history for full disclosure.
• Confirm the commodity scope: gas, electricity, or both.

During signing and completion

• Check that the legal name and trade names match your registry.
• Tick the correct commodity boxes: gas, electricity, or both.
• Ensure addresses are consistent across all sections.
• Verify director and officer names and birth dates are accurate.
• Confirm agent and contractor spellings and status.
• Attach security, insurance, and declarations as required.
• Complete all consent and authorization sections.
• Use the same authorized representative throughout the form.
• Sign where required with name, title, and date.
• Initial amendments to avoid confusion.
• Review for contradictions between sections.

After signing

• Keep a full copy with all attachments and proofs of payment.
• File the application by the approved submission method.
• Monitor for regulator emails or requests for more information.
• Answer follow‑up questions within any set deadlines.
• Set reminders for renewal and bond or insurance renewal dates.
• Train all agents on approved scripts and compliance rules.
• Issue identification to agents, if required, and track them.
• Update internal records: licence number, issue date, and expiry.
• Establish processes to report material changes promptly.
• Store the application package securely for audit reference.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in CONP12656 – Application for a Marketing of Gas and or Electricity Business Licence

• Don’t forget to list every trade name you plan to use. Missing trade names limit how you can advertise. You may face warnings or be required to stop using unlisted names.
• Don’t skip the agent or contractor section. Unlisted sales agents create compliance risk. Sales made by unlisted agents can trigger penalties or application delays.
• Don’t misstate owner or officer information. Inaccurate personal details or omitted history can be treated as false statements. That can lead to denial or licence suspension.
• Don’t check the wrong commodity box. If you select only electricity, you cannot market gas. Correcting this later requires an amendment and can delay launch.
• Don’t submit without proof of security or insurance. Missing instruments stall review. You may lose your place in the queue and extend your go‑to‑market timeline.

What to Do After Filling Out CONP12656 – Application for a Marketing of Gas and or Electricity Business Licence

Submit and track

• Submit the signed form with all attachments and the fee.
• Record the submission date, method, and confirmation details.
• Assign a team member to monitor for follow‑up requests.

Respond to requests

• Answer clarification questions quickly and clearly.
• Provide any missing documents in the format requested.
• If a document will be delayed, notify the reviewer and give a date.

Prepare to operate

• Build your compliance binder: licence, policies, scripts, and training logs.
• Configure your sales systems with accurate legal and trade names.
• Add the licence number where required in marketing materials.
• Confirm your cooling‑off disclosures and contract summaries are plain language.
• Standardize your complaint handling and escalation steps.
• Set up a log to track agent onboarding, training, and renewals.

Onboard agents

• Issue identification and proof of authority to every agent.
• Train agents on sales rules, disclosures, and prohibited practices.
• Keep signed acknowledgments for each agent’s training.

Launch only after approval

• Wait for the licence document before any consumer marketing.
• Verify the commodity coverage on the licence matches your plan.
• If coverage is incomplete, file an amendment before expanding.

Manage changes and amendments

• File amendments when owners, officers, agents, or trade names change.
• Report address changes and new service locations right away.
• If you add a new marketing channel, update your policies and scripts.

Maintain and renew

• Calendar the licence expiry date and renewal window.
• Track bond and insurance expiry dates and renew early.
• Conduct periodic internal audits of sales calls and contracts.
• Keep records of sales, complaints, and cancellations for inspection.

Communicate internally

• Share the licence and conditions with sales, marketing, and support.
• Provide a one‑page do/don’t guide for field teams.
• Establish a contact point for urgent compliance questions.

If your application is refused

• Review the refusal letter and reasons.
• Correct deficiencies, gather new documents, and reapply.
• Pause all marketing until approval is in hand.

If you plan to expand

• Confirm you hold the correct commodity authorizations.
• Add new trade names before public launch.
• Verify agent coverage and training for new regions.