Iqaluit council backs cutting residential water rates in half
Proposed bylaw increases business, government water rates; vote on final approval set for later this month
Iqaluit’s water treatment plant is seen in this May 2023 file photo. A vote by city council later this month could see a reduction in water rates charged to residential users. (File phot by Jeff Pelletier)
Iqaluit city councillors say residents can expect relief on their water bills soon.
A bylaw to adjust water rates charged by the city was unanimously approved on first and second readings by council at its meeting Tuesday night.
If the bylaw receives final approval later this month, residential rates would be cut in half, to one cent per litre from the current two cents.
“I’m very much looking forward to providing some relief for our residents to reduce water bills across our city,” said Coun. Kyle Sheppard.
He added the city continues to encourage residents to conserve water as much as possible, both for the “health” of the water supply and as a cost-saving measure.
The city did not provide any specific information about how much of a savings that would result in for an average household’s bill.
Relief is not happening across the board, though. Water rates charged to commercial and government buildings are due to increase under the bylaw.
The commercial rate would increase to 3.5 cents per litre from the current rate of two cents. The government rate would see a quadruple increase, to eight cents per litre from two cents.
“This restructure will put a large portion of the burden on to government entities,” Sheppard said.
“I want to thank them for participating in this and for helping us to provide the relief to our residents, while also ensuring we’re able to build our financial capacity to address the water concerns we have, which are still significant.”
The bylaw is scheduled for final reading at the next council meeting on March 26, and would take effect the following week.
Following Tuesday’s meeting, Coun. Sam Tilley said delivering a lowered water rate for residents was a promise councillors made to voters in the October municipal election, and he’s excited to get it approved at the next meeting.
“I’m happy to see it happen because it was part of all of our platforms — not just myself, the other seven councillors that ran — and it came to fruition finally,” he said.
“I wish they could be lower … but I’m still happy that it’s where it is. It’s way better than where it was before.”
6 other councilors that ran* aglukkaq was hand picked remember?
‘He added the city continues to encourage residents to conserve water as much as possible, both for the “health” of the water supply and as a cost-saving measure.’
What a great plan, that water crisis should be fixed any day now. Because the thing that people respond to most reliably isn’t financial incentives, it’s platitudes from their beloved politicians.
We should ask the federal Liberals if they think this approach might work for the carbon tax too? Scrap it and just encourage Canadians to reduce their fossil fuel use “as much as possible”.
Wasn’t Sheppard on Council in Jan 2019 when they voted to remove the subsidy on water, thereby increasing our water bills in the first place? If so, he wasn’t concerned about “relief for residents” at that time.
Yes, in fact he was the Chair of the Finance Committee. His quote at the time (Nov 2018) was,
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“Since 2016, the city has been subsidizing residential sewer and water rates in excess of funding received from the Government of Nunavut. The subsidy in place has assisted in causing the water and sewer fund to have a significant deficit… A decrease in the subsidy must be made by Jan. 1, 2019 to correct this.”
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At the time, Deputy Mayor Stevenson said,
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“I’ve been on council for, this is my 10th year, and in that entire time there’s always been a process working to eliminating the subsidy to residential water…
Your question is why did we go all the way? It’s because we’re so close, and we need to. The committee realized there’s no point in going part way when it’s time to really eliminate it.”
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It’s interesting that they took over 5 years since then to figure out this new rate schedule. Over 15 years if you count Stevenson’s previous 10 years on Council.
Funny the only thing that has changed since then is they both moved houses.
Who wants to put money on that they finally are paying water bills in their new rental units?
I got 214million to bet on it 😉
That’s some fancy-pants gaslighting using the word “health” for moving pennies around.
So for our health. We’re to be happy to see coming price increases for hotel rooms, restaurant meals, groceries, dry goods and auto repairs. Because business will be hit with a 1.3 cent per liter water price increase.
Alternative title: “Council deflects from their incompetence by throwing Iqaluit businesses under the bus.”
if it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown, let it mellow…i mean flush it down. according to the internet the average full flush toilet uses 11 litres, so 11 cents per flush.