The City of Red Deer is taking the lead from the province and looking at deferring water utility bills.
On Wednesday, Premier Jason Kenney stated that payments for natural gas and electricity bills can be deferred for up to three months, given the economic difficulties experienced by many Albertans because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Red Deer Mayor Tara Veer needs to hear more details of this plan, she said the city supports in principle Kenney’s suggestion that municipalities follow this example.
Veer said there will be discussions about how this kind of deferment can be applied to local water bills, and she will release more information as it becomes available.
“We need to know more about the scope of the deferment…”
As to whether any relaxations will be applied to property taxes, Veer said she needs to hear more about what the province is planning, regarding the collection of school taxes.
If some allowances are made for these by the province, she said she would expect there would also be a municipal deferral.
“With property taxes, there is a provincial and municipal component.”