Trail property owners have one more day to receive a 7.5 per cent discount on their 2020 utility bill if they pay it in full.
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This year’s invoice, up $12.50 over 2019, totals $785 in charges for garbage, water and sewer services.
If paid by Friday, Feb. 28, the user will receive a $57.70 discount and pay a total $727.30.
There is no penalty if the bill isn’t paid by the end of Friday, and residents do have until the end of December to buck up.
If not paid at the end of the year, however, utility balances are transferred to property taxes in arrears, with a 10 per cent penalty and the balance is then subject to interest.
Another way to pay off utility charges is through the municipal online payment system.
For several years the city has been encouraging Trail ratepayers to go paperless when it comes to dealing with their utility bill.
Not only is the digital option more eco-friendly the city says, it is also a money-saving tactic that, theoretically, would trickle down and lighten the load for service users in the coming years.
“Council discussed the ongoing provision of paper copies of utility invoices and is hopeful that more people will sign up to receive the annual bill and reminders via email,” the city’s David Perehudoff said previously.
“Council will review this again in the future and may consider implementing a fee to receive a paper copy in the hopes that people move to receive an e-copy, which reduces the city’s direct costs and is an environmentally friendly option.”
According to the city’s review of 2019 utility rates, residential rates were around eight per cent less in Trail than Castlegar, and 10 per cent, or $115, lower than the $1,207 charge for homeowners living in the Queen City.
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