Summerside goes after $1.3M in utility arrears

Residents of Summerside, P.E.I., owe $1.3 million on their water, sewer and electricity bills, and the city is looking to collect.

It's a significant sum in a city with only about 15,000 residents.

"In absolute terms it's a pretty big amount," said Summerside finance director Rob Philpott.

"Certainly it's a cause for concern and it's why we're taking steps to try to address it."

The city is developing a new policy for collecting on utility bill arrears, which Philpott said will more clearly outline expectations for city residents and ensure a consistent policy is applied across the board.

Collection agencies could be called in

The city needs to be taking steps that show it is being both fair and firm, said Philpott. Those steps could include calling on a collection agency, he said, but only in the most extreme cases.

"[It] would be only for those chronic, trouble accounts," he said.

"Those that are simply not making any effort to try to bring their balances up to date."

Philpott expects with the new policy the balance owed by residents will be significantly reduced by this time next year.

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