Letter: Governments gouge citizens through utility fees, taxes

By Letter to the Editor on September 24, 2024.

Dear editor,

Utility fees continue to rise aggressively more than the actual cost of the commodity; specifically electric energy and natural gas costs.

One condominium corporation’s total electric costs, including fees (multi-resident building) year to date is $96,614. The actual energy used cost was $58,232, leaving $38,382 as fees, or 65.91 per cent of the cost of energy.

For natural gas, total cost year to date was $47,861. The cost of the commodity was $12,671, therefore total fees were $35,190. Fees represent 277 per cent of the cost of the commodity; of that, 182 per cent represents the carbon tax imposed by the feds on heating fuels. The remaining fees of $12,178 represent city fees which are 95.4 per cent of the cost of the gas.

These figures are actual costs which would indicate Medicine Hat multi-resident single-metered residences are paying outrageous fees on their utilities. The Ratepayers Association, in my opinion, has failed in their mandate to get the city to reduce fees it charges to the people of Medicine Hat.

A whopping 65.71 per cent fees on electric energy and 95.4 per cent fess on natural gas is outrageous, and the city should be providing its ratepayers with an explanation for these extremely high and costly fees.

The federal carbon tax, a separate issue, for September is four times the cost of natural gas. Governments at all levels are gouging citizens with these “fees,” which actually should be called taxes.

Ron Noël, president

Medicine Hat Condominium Association

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