EDIT: An earlier version of this story read that utility fees will continue to increase however council needs to approve the increases annually even though in 2017 administration did recommended it and council approved the increase for 2018.
Council heard an update on the Municipality’s utility fees at the meeting on Nov. 27, 2018 as the topic is again under review and up for approval with each annual budget.
The utility rates bylaw was amended in June 2017 and new utility rates took effect Sept. 1, 2017 to provide some cost recovery measures.
The Municipality was offering its environmental services utilities (water, wastewater, solid waste services) to residents at a highly discounted rate, and had not been charging residents for curbside recycling since the program began in 2013.
A comparison with Calgary, Lethbridge, Red Deer, Edmonton, Grande Prairie and Medicine Hat shows Wood Buffalo has the lowest residential and commercial utility rates of the six municipalities. #rmwb #ymm
— rmwoodbuffalo (@RMWoodBuffalo) November 28, 2018
The amendments made in 2017 include an annual 10 per cent increase to utility fees for the next four years, a $14/month curbside recycling charge and other adjustments to user fees.
Council goal is to achieve cost recovery by 2021 and it is expected that by 2022 both rural and urban communities in the RMWB will have an average bi-monthly utility bill for garbage, water and wastewater of $214 and $220 by 2023.
Budget workshops will be held from Nov. 28 till Nov. 31, 2018 where administration and council will consider approving utility increases for 2019.
The proposed operating budget is nearly $417 million a with the proposed capital budget coming in at nearly $256 million.
