By Logan Stein

Customers are allowed 90 days for bill deferrals

Medicine Hat’s utility relief program in effect

Mar 23, 2020 | 2:51 PM

Medicine Hat’s utility relief program is ensuring locals that they won’t have their utilities turned off if they are unable to pay them in the near future.

The city’s program allows all residential, farm, and small commercial customers to deffer their utility bill for up to 90 days with no disconnection, and no late fees.

“We had an announced this late last week as a relief program for our utility customers, this program aligns with the announcement that was made last week by the province of Alberta, and essentially most municipalities in Alberta have aligned themselves to this. What the program consists of is a deferral of utility payments for 90 days,” said the Commissioner of corporate services for Medicine Hat, Dennis Egert.

Other customers requiring the utility bill deferral or other payment arrangements are encouraged to contact the collections group.

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Egert stressed that customers do have the option to pay them earlier, and that this program is meant to allow hatters the time to evaluate their options.

“Residents can be assured that there will no utility disconnects over the next 90 days. If you’re able to pay your bills, by all means, pay your bills on a monthly basis. You will be getting monthly bills in the mail, if you’re not able to pay them or need some time to pay them, certainly within those 90 days, they have the freedom to manage their business and affairs and find appropriate times to pay those.”

“The program is designed in such a way to allow some relief.”

“The program is designed in such a way to allow some relief, some time, for our customers to find alternative ways of paying their utility bills,” said Egert.

Egert added that customers are encouraged to email collections@medicinehat.ca if they have any questions.