No utility bill delivery does not mean no utility bill to pay

By Medicine Hat News on November 15, 2024.

A halt in mail service could leave utility bills stranded in the process but still due, city administrators said Thursday.

Currently, they say, there are other options to determine amounts owing and no procedure for allowing forgiveness on late bill payments.

This week the Canadian Union of Postal Workers issued strike notice to Canada Post, which in turn gave the union a lockout notice. That could lead to a work stoppage as soon as today.

“We do have quite a few pieces of mail that go out related to utility bills,” managing director Dennis Egert told the corporate services committee Thursday. “We have had e-billing options for quite some time and we’ll work to get that message out into the community.”

He says anyone with direct-withdrawal set up will continue to see payments process.

Committee chair, Coun. Robert Dumanowski, asked whether there was any procedure in case of an extended mail disruption.

“We can’t force anybody to sign up,” he said, noting “typically, these things don’t last too long.”

Egert said residents always have the option to call and check their account status with customer service representatives at city hall.