Phone calls about water rates that jumped 43 per cent this year have inundated the offices at the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD), as staff explore options to possibly ease late payment penalties.
The district received “way over 200 calls,” said chief administrative officer Dean McKinley in an email to Coast Reporter. Residents reported difficulty getting responses to their queries.
“We tried to return them as quickly as possible but it was not possible to return them within the 24-hour time frame we typically strive for. We are continuing to do our best to try to get back to people as quickly as possible,” he said.
SCRD directors voted in January to increase Regional Water service rates to $410.85 from $287.31.
North Pender Water service rates rose 50 per cent to $416.61 from $277.74. South Pender rates climbed 28 per cent to $529.14 from $415.
Directors and staff began fielding calls after the bills were mailed out in the second half of April.
Some residents expressed dismay at the increases during a time when many households are facing economic pressure from COVID-19. Others questioned the dramatic increase over one year.
The fallout from the increase elicited apologies from both McKinley and SCRD chair Lori Pratt. “Speaking on behalf of the board and whole organization, I am sorry so many of our property owners feel blindsided,” said Pratt in a statement on her website, April 30. “We recognize that we need to do better to communicate, especially in the current situation of COVID-19.”
Changes weren’t made to the rates, she said, because “utility bills were already being finalized when the board discussed budget reductions due to the pandemic.”
Utility bills are due June 15. A change to that deadline isn’t likely, McKinley said.
In response to the outcry, McKinley said staff “are exploring options to present to the board to ease the current policy for the application of late payment penalties. We will discuss these options with the board before the end of this month,” he said. Those options, which haven’t been finalized, range from doing nothing to waiving interest on late fees.
An FAQ has been posted on the SCRD website and staff have proposed that directors and senior staff host a virtual open house the week after the Victoria Day long weekend. “We are currently developing the details of the format and date and will share this as soon as available. More details about this will be released once available,” said McKinley.
