Where can I pay my bill?

I have submitted an invoice to the Regional District for payment. When will I get paid?

I am moving (selling the home). What do I do with my utility bill?

I am building a new home in the Regional District. When does the utility billing start?

How often will I get a utility bill?

How are the rates set on the utility bill? Will they increase?

I am the property owner, but I want my utility bill to go to my renter. How do I do this?

What happens to unpaid amounts on my utility bill at December 15th?

I just bought a property in the Regional District and the first utility bill I received shows arrears from before I bought the property. Who is responsible for paying these arrears?

Can I pay out the Sewer Debt Servicing fee?

I pay for sewer and/or garbage on my utility bill, why am I also charged on my property tax?

I live on the Westside and am not connected to the sewer, why is there a charge for sewer on my property tax notice?

Where can I pay my bill?

There are several ways to pay your bills. Please go to our Bill Payment & Inquiries to access this information. Westside District Services Transfer, click here for more information.

I have submitted an invoice to the Regional District for payment. When will I get paid?

Our Accounts Payable department needs 10-15 business days to process an approved invoice. An approved invoice is one that displays an authorized Regional District purchase order number. If there is no purchase order listed on the invoice or if further authorization is required, then it needs to be sent to the appropriate department for approval, which will delay the process.

I am moving (selling the home). What do I do with my utility bill?

It is a good idea to contact our office to notify us of the possession date of the new owner to ensure the account information is changed over correctly. You do not need to pay a portion of the bill for the billing period that you occupy the dwelling, as your lawyer or notary as part of the conveyance will cover this on your statement of adjustment.

I am building a new home in the Regional District. When does the utility billing start?

You will start receiving a utility bill after your house passes the final inspection from our Inspections Department  (or interim final if occupancy is approved). Your bill will be prorated from that date to the end of the current billing period.

Charges are year-round, even if the dwelling is vacant for part of the year, as in a seasonal dwelling, or in the case where the owner is away for an extended period.

How often will I get a utility bill?

If the property is connected to sewer, then the billing is quarterly. The billing dates are January 10th (due February 10th), April 10th (due May 10th), July 10th (due August 10th), and October 10th (due November 10th).

If the property is not connected to sewer (e.g. garbage only or garbage & water) then the billing is semi-annual. The billing dates are January 10th (due February 10th) and July 10th (due August 10th). If the property is billed for water and/or garbage on a semi-annual basis, the billing frequency changes to quarterly once the property is connect to a Regional District sewer system.

If you get an Annual Sewer Debt Servicing fee for the Westside Regional Sewer System  on your utility bill, it will appear on the January 10th billing and is due December 15th.

How are the rates set on the utility bill? Will they increase?

The Engineering Department sets the rates through bylaws, and they are based upon the operational costs of the utility. All operational costs of the utility are paid from the rates. This information can be accessed in the Engineering section of this website.

I am the property owner, but I want my utility bill to go to my renter. How do I do this?

It is the policy of the Regional District that the utility bill will be sent to the registered owner of the property. In order to redirect the bill c/o a renter, tenant, property manager, or other, we must have that request in writing from the registered owner. This is because if there is an outstanding balance on the utility bill as of December 15th then that amount will be transferred to property taxes and is the responsibility of the registered owner.

What happens to unpaid amounts on my utility bill at December 15th?

If there are any outstanding amounts on the utility bill as of December 15th then that amount will be transferred to property taxes. Since the Regional District cannot issue the Property Tax notices, we also cannot collect payments for them. For payment information please go to the Ministry of Provincial Revenue-Taxation Branch website at http://www.rev.gov.bc.ca/rpt/paying_your_property_taxes.htm.

I just bought a property in the Regional District and the first utility bill I received shows arrears from before I bought the property. Who is responsible for paying these arrears?

It is the responsibility of the lawyer or notary handling the transfer of ownership to ensure that a search is done through the Regional District to determine if there are any outstanding utility charges on a property and include those charges on the statement of adjustments. This is required to be sure that there are no outstanding debts or encumbrances attached to the property upon transfer of ownership.

Can I pay out the Sewer Debt Servicing fee?

The balance outstanding on the Sewer Debt Servicing for the Westside Regional Sewer System for each property cannot be paid out in full once the original payment deadline has passed. However, when the debt is refinanced after a 10-year term, that option will be made available. Property owners will be notified accordingly at that time.

I pay for sewer and/or garbage on my utility bill, why am I also charged on my property tax?

The items that appear on your property tax notice regarding the sewer are for capital costs only. The sewer utility charges that appear on your utility bill are for operating costs and do not cover the capital costs for sewer trunk lines or plant expansions. For further information go to the Engineering Department.

I live on the Westside and am not connected to the sewer, why is there a charge for sewer on my property tax notice?

The capital costs of the Westside Regional Sewage Treatment Plant and major trunk lines are financed over a twenty-year period. The repayment costs for the debt are charged to the properties within the service area that will benefit from the installation of these capital works. For more information, go to the Engineering Department section of our website.