Quick links:

 

• New Rate Structure
• New Water User Rates
  
• Sample Residential Utility Invoice
  
• Commercial Utilities
  
• Payment Options
  
• Frequently Asked Questions - Finance
  
• Frequently Asked Questions - Engineering
  
• Did You Know?
  

 

RESIDENTIAL UTILITIES:

Previously, the Town charged residential utilities on a flat rate basis. These annual charges were added to the property tax notice which residents receive each year in late May or early June.   The utility charges included user fees for water, sewer and garbage.  

Beginning in 2011, with the near completion of the water meter program, the Town will begin charging for water a metered basis.  Residential users will see a difference in the following ways:

New Rate Structure for Parcel Tax & User Fees:

	OLD		NEW
	2010 & previous		2011
	Yearly Amount	Billing Method	Yearly Amount	Billing Method	Billing Frequency
Parcel Taxes:
Water	$25	on Tax Notice	$150	Still on Tax Notice	Once per year (June)
Sewer	$241	on Tax Notice	$241	Still on Tax Notice	Once per year (June)
User Fees:
Water	$345	on Tax Notice	Will vary depending on usage. ($200 or less for average user)	New Utility Bill	Twice per year (April & October)
Sewer	$156	on Tax Notice	$166	New Utility Bill	Twice per year (April & October)
Garbage	$100	on Tax Notice	$103.50	New Utility Bill	Twice per year (April & October)
Meter Replacement			$20	New Utility Bill	Twice per year (April & October)

Details of User Fee Rate Structure:

Water and Sewer:

Water Rates: Previously, the charge for water usage was based on a flat rate as noted above. The new fee structure is a tiered rate structure. This results in a different rate for water usage, depending on how much is being consumed. Here’s a sample fee calculation for a high use household that uses 300 m³ of water in a six month billing period.  (Note: Average usage in Gibsons is expected to use much less - approximately 138 m³ per six month billing period.)

	Water Used	Rate Charged/m3	Total charge
	First 138 m3	$0.73	$100.74
	Next 137 m3	$1.00	$136.00
	Final 25 m3	$1.25	$32.50
Total	300 m3		$269.24

High consumers of water will notice an increase in the water user portion of their utility bill.

Sewer Rates: Sewer will continue to be charged on a flat rate basis in 2011.  The annual fee will be prorated on each bill to reflect the number of months in the billing period.

Meter Replacement Fee: There will also be a meter replacement fee of $20/yr. This fee will be collected and set aside to cover the future costs of replacing the meter.  (The estimated life of a meter is 20 years.) The annual fee will be prorated on each bill to reflect the number of months in the billing period.

New Water User Rates:

• Effective January 1, 2011, the revised water and sewer bylaws* take effect.   (Note: The effective date for metered commercial users is May 1, 2011.)

Rates:
Water consumption (m3)	0-137 m3	138-275 m3	276+ m3
Water charge per  range of m3	$0.73/m3	$1.00/m3	$1.25/m3

• There are some properties that don’t yet have a water meter installed.  In these cases, a flat annual rate of $200/yr will be charged. This is the amount that an average residential user will pay for water under the metered rate structure. This fee will be prorated on each bill to reflect the number of months in the billing period.

If you have questions about your meter, please contact the Engineering Department for details.

Residential Garbage:

Residential garbage will continue to be charged on a flat rate basis. This charge will now be included in the semi-annual utility bill and will be pro-rated to reflect the number of months in the billing period.

Only 1 standard size garbage can is allowed.  (Max. 77 litre size)

If you have more garbage than 1 can, tickets may be purchased for the extra garbage.  The tickets are $2.50 each and may be purchased at the Town Hall or from the driver.

For further information on our current residential utility fees, please refer to the relevant bylaw.

*Bylaws:

The 2011 bylaws are scheduled to be read and adopted by Council at their March 2011 Council meetings.  The finalized bylaws will be posted on the website in early April.

Sample Residential Utility Invoice:

Below is a sample utility invoice for a six month billing period.

Note: Since 2011 is a transition year, the first invoice (sent to residents in mid-April) will cover a three month period only and the flat rate fees will be prorated accordingly.  Future invoices will cover six month periods.

Download Sample Residential Utility Invoice (PDF Format)

COMMERCIAL UTILITIES:

Utility billing for commercial properties takes place two times per year:  early May and early November.  Invoices are mailed directly to the property owner and include charges for water and sewer.

The Town is implementing a water metering program for both residents and commercial users.  A revised water bylaw* will take effect in 2011.  Commercial users will notice a difference in the following ways:

New Rates:

Timing:

• Although the 2011 user rates bylaws will take effect on January 1, 2011 for residential users, the revised bylaws will take effect on May 1, 2011 for commercial users.  This delay is due to the fact that commercial users are on a different billing cycle than the residential users.  The result:  the utility bill commercial users receive in May (which is for usage from November 2010 to the end of April 2011), is based on the 2010 water and sewer rate bylaws.
• Usage from May 1^st onward will be charged according to the new 2011 rate bylaw. Commercial users will see this new rate structure reflected in their November utility bill.

New Rate Structures:

Water Rates: Previously, the charge for commercial water usage was based on a constant metered rate. The new fee structure is a tiered rate structure. This results in a different rate for water usage, depending on how much is being consumed. Here’s a sample fee calculation for a property that uses 300 m³ of water in a six month billing period.

	Water Used	Rate Charged/m3	Total charge
	First 138 m3	$0.73	$100.74
	Next 137 m3	$1.00	$136.00
	Final 25 m3	$1.25	$32.50
Total	300 m3		$269.24

High consumers of water will notice an increase in the water user portion of their utility bill.

Those properties who have not yet installed a meter will be billed on a flat rate. Please note, all commercial, industrial and institutional properties are required to have a meter installed by the end of 2011.  Please contact the Engineering Department for details.

Sewer Rates: Sewer will continue to be charged on a flat rate basis for commercial properties for 2011.

For further details on our rates please refer to the relevant bylaws below.

*Bylaws:

The 2011 bylaws are scheduled to be read and adopted by Council at their March 2011 Council meetings.  The finalized bylaws will be posted on the website in early April.

If you have any questions about your commercial utility bill, please contact the Finance Department.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Residential Utility bills are due:  May 15^th and November 15^th.  (Note, if this date falls on a weekend, the deadline is moved to the previous Friday.) Commercial Utility bills are due on July 2^nd & December 31^st.

To avoid a 10% penalty, payments must be received in the Municipal Office by 4:30 pm on that day.

Ways to pay:

1.      ONLINE / TELEPHONE BANKING: The most convenient way to your utilities is through internet or telephone banking. This option is available with most financial institutions.   You will need to add the Town of Gibsons as a payee.  Your Utility Account number located on the top and bottom right hand side of your utility bill.  Please ensure your online payment is made in sufficient time to ensure it is received by us prior to the deadline.

2.      POSTDATED CHEQUES:  This is an excellent way to avoid the last minute rush, line ups and ensure your payment is received on time!!  You may mail or drop off your post-dated cheque any time prior to the deadline. Please include your remittance stub and write your Utility Account number on your cheque.

3.      BY MAIL:  Please ensure cheques are mailed in plenty of time to reach the Town office by the deadline.  Please include your remittance stub and write your Utility Account number on your cheque. Note: postmarks are not acceptable as proof of payment.

4.      IN PERSON:  Cash and/or cheques may be brought into the Town Office. To assist us in serving you, please bring your remittance stub and have your cheque filled out prior to arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions (Finance Related) - Residential Properties:

1. How often will I get a utility bill?
2. Is the billing still based on a calendar year? No, the new billing system is based on the following usage:  The April bill covers usage from the previous October through March. The October bill covers usage from the previous April through September. * Note: since 2011 is a transition year, the first bill that you receive in April 2011 will cover a shorter period of usage - from January 2011 through March 2011 only.  This is because you have already paid for the utilities you used in October 2010 through December 2010 (on your 2010 tax notice).  Future bills will cover a six month period.
3. When is my utility bill due? The due dates are May 15^th and November 15^th of each year. If this date falls on a weekend, the deadline is moved to the Friday before.
4. What happens if I miss the payment deadline? A 10% penalty is applied to your utility account.
5. What happens if I haven’t paid my utility bills by the end of the year? All outstanding amounts are transferred to taxes in arrears and will be included in the following year’s tax notice.
6. How do I pay my utility bill? (create link to top of “Utility Bill Payment Options” (section)
7. Can I pay my utility bill online? (create link to top of “Utility Bill Payment Options” (section)
8. I defer my taxes. How does this affect my deferral? Previously, when you deferred your taxes, you had to claim your Home Owner Grant and pay any utility user fees which were included on your tax notice. Now, all utility user fees are billed separately. In order to defer your taxes, you still need to claim your Home Owner Grant. The remainder of the amount still owing on your tax notice can then be included in the amount being deferred.
9. I didn’t receive my utility bill. What should I do?  If you haven’t received your utility bill by late April or late October, please contact our office and we will provide you with a copy.   If you are a new owner, our records may not yet reflect the change of ownership and the utility bill may have been sent to the previous owner.  If you have changed your mailing address, it is important that you advise us so we mail your notice to the correct address.
10. Can I pay my utility bill monthly?  Yes, you can make periodic installments on your utilities throughout the year.  The frequency of the payments is up to you.   The most convenient way is to set up the payment online through your financial institution.  You will need to add the Town of Gibsons as a payee.  Your Utility Account Number is listed on the top and bottom left hand side of your utility bill. We also accept post-dated cheques. You can drop them off at our office and we will deposit them on the date listed on the cheque. Please be sure to record your Utility Account number on each cheque.
11. I live in a Strata complex – how am I going to be billed? Each strata unit will receive their own utility bill. The charge will be based on a portion of total usage during the billing period.  The total usage for the complex is divided equally amongst the strata units.  For example: if a strata complex with 24 units, consumes 2,400 m³ of water, each unit will be billed for 100 m³ of water.
12. Is the stepped rate adjusted for multi-family complexes? Yes. The total consumption is divided among the units before the rate per m³ is charged.
13. What if I don’t have a water meter yet? For properties where a meter has not yet been installed, a flat rate will be charged. The flat rate ($200 per year) is based on what an average user would pay for water in a year. This flat amount will be prorated by the number of months in the billing period.
14. What is considered to be an average user? Average usage varies between municipalities. In Gibsons, an average user is a household that consumes approximately 275 m³ of water per year.
15. How does the Town determine how much water I’ve used? At the beginning of each billing period, the Town crew reads the meters. At the end of each billing period, another reading is taken. The amount of water you have used is the difference between these two readings. The readings measure how much water (in cubic meters) has passed through the meter.
16. How are the readings taken? Some meters are read by touching a reading device to the pad on top of the meter box.  In these cases, you may see one of our crew at your property.  Many of the water meters installed in the Town are read by a radio frequency.  This means that a reading can be picked up by driving nearby the meter.
17. What is the meter replacement fee? This is a flat fee of $20 per year ($10 per bill) that each resident pays. This fee will cover the cost of replacing the meter in the future.
18. How long is the meter expected to last before it needs to be replaced? Meters are estimated to last for 20 years.

Frequently Asked Questions (Engineering Related) – Residential Water Meters

1. I think my meter isn’t measuring my water use properly - what do I do?  Please contact our Engineering department.
2. I might have a leak – what do I do? Please contact our Engineering department for troubleshooting tips.
3. How can I check if my toilet is leaking? A minor leak in a toilet can be difficult to detect. One way to test it is using food colouring. Put a few drops of food colouring into your toilet tank. If the colour shows up in the toilet bowl without flushing you have a leak and should contact qualified personnel to have it repaired.
4. Why doesn’t the Town have a toilet replacement program? Council determined that water metering would be more effective in reducing water use, including identifying leaks and providing an educational opportunity for residents.
5. Where is my water meter? Generally water meters are installed in a plastic or concrete box in the ground near the property line. This box may be located closer to your house if your water service alignment was not known at the time of installation. A small number of households have the meter installed inside the house where the water service enters the house.
6. I live in a Strata multi-family complex – why don’t I get my own meter? The water system within a strata complex is the property of the complex. A single meter at the property line ensures that the entire private distribution system owned by the strata is metered for leaks and common usage. Often the internal plumbing is such that it is difficult to separate and meter individual units.

Did You Know?

• … most Towns, when implementing a water metering program, discover than 10% of households have a leaky toilet. If your consumption is high, check this first. The water consumed by a leaky toilet can be the equivalent amount of water used in a four person household in year!

• … summer usage is generally higher than winter usage. Often this is a result of the increased outdoor water usage such as watering of gardens or lawns, more frequent washing of cars, recreational vehicles, sports equipment, etc.

• … it is important that your meter box does not get covered over by landscaping materials or other objects. If your meter box is not visible to Town staff, more time is required to read and/or access your meter. Although many meters are read remotely by a radio signal, some are read by physical contact with the pad on the top of the box. In addition, access to the meter box is required to investigate leaks and do any repairs.

• … there are added benefits to having a meter. Your meter box also contains a backflow prevention device.  This device ensures that water from private plumbing systems cannot flow back into the Town’s distribution system and potentially cause contamination. Although the plumbing code requires a main water shut off in your house, if this shut off fails, there is a Town shut off to your water supply at your meter box.

Contact Information:

Accounting Clerk
Sheri Spence
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Director of Finance
Ian Poole, CA
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Assistant Treasurer
Lorraine Coughlin
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Phone: 604.886.2274
Fax: 604.886.9735

Location and Mailing Address

474 South Fletcher Road
Box 340
Gibsons, BC  V0N 1V0

Business Hours
8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays).