Immediate Temporary Utility Relief
On February 22, 2022, City Council authorized immediate temporary relief to address hardships relating to utility bills.
The package is designed to provide one-time immediate relief while City Council has the opportunity to review and evaluate utility rate setting in their future strategic planning. Structural changes to rate design must be thoughtfully considered and any changes will take time to implement.
The following options are available. Be sure to note deadlines to apply.
| Backdated fixed rate - deadline to apply February 28, 2022 |
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Utility customers that qualify for fixed rate and choose to sign up prior to February 28th will receive a credit for the difference between the monthly market rate and fixed rate for their January bill. You are required to remain on the fixed rate for a minimum of six months from the day you apply. You may opt out once the six months have elapsed. Customers are reminded that market rate fluctuations monthly and there is no guarantee that being on the fixed rate plan will result in continued long-term savings. Apply by February 28, 2022 to be eligible for the January credit. Apply online or call 403-529-8111. 17,000 utility customers are eligible to receive this credit, amounting to a potential $2.2 million in collective savings. |
| $100 incentive for Energuide Home Evaluations |
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Customers that have experienced a utility bill increase greater than 20% on their January 2022 bill compared to the previous year January 2021, are encouraged to have an Energuide Home Evaluation completed prior to December 2022 to understand and improve home efficiencies. An evaluation is required to apply for all federal and provincial home efficiency grants. HAT Smart will rebate up to $400 towards the cost of your evaluation. This relief package will provide an additional $100 onto your utility account. Visit hatsmart.ca to apply. The additional $100 relief will be automatically processed upon completion of your HAT Smart incentive. Visit HAT Smart for further details Limited resources exist for the HAT Smart portion of this incentive, please apply early. |
| Deferred payment plan - deadline to apply March 31, 2022 |
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Customers may choose to spread their January 2022 utility charges over the a 12-month period. On this plan, customers pay their current bill plus 1/12th of their deferred bill. Apply by March 31, 2022 to qualify! Contact collections@medicinehat.ca to apply. |
| Waived late penalty, transfer to tax, and disconnect warning fees |
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For the month of March 2022, the City of Medicine Hat will automatically waive the following fees on all utility accounts:
There is no need to apply for this relief. |
To further understand the charges on your utility bill, visit www.medicinehat.ca/utilitybill.
Difficulties paying your bill
Contact our Collections team at collections@medicinehat.ca if you are having difficulty paying your bill. We have options, but early conversations are essential to assist you the best we can. Social agencies are experiencing extended wait times. Don't delay. We're here to help.