March 2026
Co-operative Energy Rate
Are you an EQUS member on the Co-operative Energy Rate (CER) or the Rate of Last Resort? If you missed the renewal date of January 1, 2026, your current bill could be affected negatively. Members who are not on the CER or with a retailer of their choice will automatically default to the Rate of Last Resort (RoLR), which does not require a contract. If you missed the deadline, there is still an opportunity to consider making the switch and start putting more dollars back in your pocket.
The CER provides a stable alternative option to the Rate of Last Resort, which is a fixed energy rate set every two years. EQUS’ CER has lowered four times over the last ten years and is significantly lower than the current Rate of Last Resort. We are pleased to offer this competitive rate option to our members.
Members are free to purchase electricity services from a retailer of their choice. For a list of retailers, visit www.ucahelps.alberta.ca or call 310.4822 (toll-free in Alberta).
Annual General Meeting - April 16-18, 2026 Visit equs.ca/events for the latest
2026 EQUS Board of Directors Nominees
Doug Drozd
Seeking re-election to the EQUS Board of Directors is Doug Drozd. Doug lives in the County of Barrhead and was first elected to the Board of the Sion REA in 2000. He has an extensive background in agriculture, including production, food processing, and sales.
Doug was elected to the Council of the County of Barrhead in 2010 and served as Reeve from 2016 to 2025. He has also served on province-wide committees with the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) and the Alberta Community and Cooperatives Association (ACCA). In addition, Doug has served as a Director with the Pembina West Co-op and with the local water utility in the Barrhead region.
Doug has been an integral contributor to many of EQUS’ major accomplishments. He believes EQUS is on the cusp of another significant milestone and is seeking to continue to serve as a director to help guide decisions and set directions that benefit all EQUS members.
Connie Huelsman
Connie Huelsman recently retired after serving three terms as a Councillor for Red Deer County and is seeking election to the EQUS Board of Directors. Prior to that, she worked at the United Farmers Co-operative Corporate Office in Calgary, managing Fleet & Facilities, and also served as a school board trustee with Chinook’s Edge School Division in Innisfail.
As a resident of Central Alberta for over 35 years, Connie and her husband continue to manage a small farming operation. She is deeply committed to advocating for the rural way of life and supporting strong communities and has contributed her skills on numerous boards.
With a background in banking, Connie brings strong fiscal responsibility and a solid understanding of how co-operatives serve their members. A long-time EQUS member, Connie plans to remain one for many years and hopes to use her experience to help strengthen EQUS for the future.
2026 EQUS Board of Directors Nominees
Andy Neigel
Andy Neigel brings extensive leadership experience to his nomination for the EQUS Board of Directors. He recently retired from a successful 18-year tenure as President and CEO of CAREERS: The Next Generation Foundation. Previously, he worked in the forest industry in Alberta and BC for over 25 years, concluding that chapter of his career as General Manager and Vice President of Operations at Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc.
Andy holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of Alberta, a Forestry Diploma from NAIT, and is a retired Registered Professional Forester in both Alberta and BC. Andy graduated from the Queen’s School of Business Executive and Leadership Programs and earned his ICD.D designation in 2015.
Andy has contributed extensively to provincial advisory panels and has served on several boards, including the Trades, Apprenticeship, and Vocational Education Committee at the College of Alberta School Superintendents and the Board for the Alberta Energy Regulator. He and his wife live west of Edmonton and enjoy time with their children and grandchildren.
This year, one Director has retired, one current Director is seeking re-election to the Board, and two nominees are seeking election for a full term. As there are three nominees to fill two vacant positions, an election for the vacant positions will be held at the Annual General Meetings with results of the vote to be shared online at equs.ca and in the May edition of Rural Sparks.
Retirement: Jason Tweten EQUS Board of Directors Update
On behalf of our members and the EQUS Board of Directors, we would like to wish Jason Tweten well on his retirement from the Board.
Jason joined the South Alta REA Board in 2011 and continued as an EQUS Director following the 2013 amalgamation.
We appreciate Jason’s valuable contributions and the insights brought through his consultation experiences and expertise in land ownership, property rights, and the oil and gas sector over the past 15 years.
Thank you, Jason! We wish you all the best.
Stronger, Together!
Five Reasons You Should Attend the EQUS AGM
EQUS’ Board of Directors and staff are excited to welcome our members across the province to our Annual General Meetings (AGMs) from April 16-18.
Registration will be open at 4:00 p.m. with the meeting promptly beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Are you still on the fence about attending? Here are five great reasons to join us for this year’s AGM!
1. WIN GREAT PRIZES
If you’ve ever been to one of our member events, you know we always bring great EQUS swag and prizes to give away to our members! Whether it’s the latest hat or newest colour of EQUS YETIs, you won’t want to miss out on your chance to walk away with some great EQUS gear at this year’s AGMs!
2. UPGRADE YOUR MEMBER KNOWLEDGE
Back by popular demand again this year is our Billing & Rate Information Session. Join us early at 4:30pm at each location to get answers to your power bill questions from your team at EQUS. For questions about governance, operations and other topics of interest, submit your questions ahead of time via the member portal! Our Board of Directors and staff are committed to answering your inquiries before, during, and after the meeting.
3. SCORE BIG ON POWER BILL SAVINGS
4.
CONNECT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
Get a shot at winning a $500 and $3000 grand prize in power bill credits just for showing up!
Our co-operative is built on community. Join us to catch up with old friends and neighbours, and meet new EQUS members in your community.
5. DINNER’S ALWAYS ON US
Pre-meeting refreshments and a roast beef dinner will be included in the evening. We work hard to ensure that no member leaves hungry!
