Audit, Finance and Administration Committee approves Utility Billing Transition June 2026 Program Update – Extension of Water and Wastewat... 7-0

Following Council direction, the City implemented Hamilton Utilities Billing, bringing utility billing services under direct City administration. Hamilton Utilities Billing served approximately 160,000 water and wastewater utility accounts city-wide, and as of June 4, 2026, first bills were issued to approximately 159,433 customers, representing 99.6% of all utility accounts.

Council approved a temporary waiver of penalty and interest charges until June 30, 2026, and considered extending this waiver to September 30, 2026 to provide customers additional time to adjust to the new billing system while maintaining a customer-focused transition. The temporary waiver of penalty and interest charges would result in a short-term reduction in penalty and interest revenue associated with overdue utility accounts during the extension period, and Council may choose not to approve the extension beyond June 30, 2026.

The motion, as recorded in the minutes:

Utility Billing Transition June 2026 Program Update – Extension of Water and Wastewater Billing Penalty and Interest Relief (City Wide) (M. Wilson/Beattie) That Report FCS21082(m), Utility Billing Transition June 2026 Program Update – Extension of Water and Wastewater Billing Penalty and Interest Relief (City Wide), dated June 18, 2026, be received and the following recommendations, be approved: (a) That the temporary waiver of penalty and interest charges on Hamilton Utilities Billing (HUB) water and wastewater utility accounts be extended until September 30, 2026, with penalty and interest charges on overdue HUB utility accounts resuming effective October 1, 2026, in accordance with the City’s Utility Billing By-law and established collection practices; and (b) That the General Manager, Finance and Corporate Services, be authorized and directed to extend the waiver on late payment interest charges, the arrears transfer to tax roll administration fee and interest charges on arrears amounts transferred to the property tax roll, from July 1, 2026 to September 30, 2026.

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