By Dana Reynolds

New P.A. utility rate moving closer to finalization

Mar 15, 2016 | 12:51 PM

If you thought your utility rates were high enough, get ready to dig a little deeper.

City council still has not finalized the new utility rate, but the water utility rate is predicted to increase by an average of 2.3 per cent, while sanitation will definitely increase by $1.80.

The sanitation utility budget, and subsequent residential surcharge, received the most criticism. Three councillors – Lee Atkinson, Charlene Miller and Tim Scharkowski – voted against the new budget, but were overruled five to three.

Atkinson was also unhappy the budget did not seem to incorporate any change and instead maintained, in his opinion, an inefficient status quo. “I don’t think there’s enough initiatives, there is no real improvements to the operation, there’s no assessment of the operations or…reduction of cost.”

The councillor was much more pleased with the water and sewage rates. The former water and sewage rates were based on covering the city’s operation charges. Whereas rates before were flat, city staff calculated a spectrum of rate increases based on consumption. These rates range between a 1.73 and 2.5 per cent increase.

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“I think the public will be pleased with the changes we’ve made,” Atkinson said. The rate change was about an equal amount being allocated…across the whole board for a rate increase which affected big users, medium users and little users. Quite frankly, it’s more in line with what the public wanted, which was ‘I only want to pay for the water I’m using, not to give someone else a break.’”

Coun. Ted Zurakowski echoed Atkinson saying the city was going down the right path, but suggested waiting before the changes were solidified in a bylaw.

“I do think this needs to breathe for a bit. I’m comfortable with one reading, perhaps two tonight, then come back and revisit it again,” Zurakowski said. A bylaw must be read three times before it becomes official.

Council asked staff to return to the next council meeting with a chart explaining how the new rates are calculated, so changes can be accurately explained to constituents.

dreynolds@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @danitska