Bylaw changes to help residents affected by pandemic

Financial measures to ease the economic burden on residents whom the coronavirus pandemic has affected will go into effect quickly now that city council has passed amendments to municipal bylaws. During its April 27 regular meeting, city council unanimously approved amendments to the tax payment, discount and penalties bylaw, and the sewer and water utility bylaw. The unanimous approval means there won’t be a long delay to implement the changes that council discussed during its April 13 meeting. As part of the tax payments, discounts and penalties bylaw, city hall won’t penalize customers’ tax accounts between April 1 and Sept. 30. With the sewer and water utility bylaw, city hall will waive penalties for outstanding bills from April 1 to Sept. 30, while additional changes will alter collection requirements that the bylaw specifies.

Furthermore, city hall won’t add late payment charges to customers’ utility accounts for recycling, garbage collection, water or sewer services from April 1 to Sept. 30.

City council has also instructed city administration to redirect collection efforts and adjust any short- and medium-term payment terms for customers.

This means administration should redirect collection activities and work with tax and utility customers to establish payment plans. Moreover, it will also review the tax instalment payment program (TIPPS) and the water instalment payment program (WIPPS). City administration will then bring revisions to council for approval, with those changes expected to provide additional flexibility for these programs to help residents facing large balances once the penalty-free period passes.