TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING UTILITY BILLS IN CALGARY

6 things to know about your utility bill

Alberta's utility system can be confusing. That's why CBC Calgary is publishing this short guide in English and five other languages. Check cbc.ca/utilities for translations in Arabic, Tigrinya, Spanish, Traditional and Simplified Chinese.

Why CBC Calgary is publishing an Alberta utility bill explainer in six languages

Six things to know, published in six languages — leaders with the Calgary Local Immigration Partnership stepped up to translate a CBC Calgary guide to utility bills. Here's why.

加热费、电费以及……费用!了解你在阿尔伯塔省的公用事业账单

你需要知道的6件事. A primer on Alberta utility bills in Mandarin. For more translations, see cbc.ca/utilities.

Calefacción, electricidad y tarifas! Descripción de la factura de servicios de Alberta

6 cosas que debe saber. A primer on Alberta utility bills in Spanish. For more translations, see cbc.ca/utilities.

الحرارة، والطاقة... والرسوم! فهم فاتورتك للمرافق العامة في ألبرتا

ستة أشياء يجب أن تعرفها A primer on Alberta utility bills in Arabic. For more translations, see cbc.ca/utilities.

ሙቐት፣ ሓይሊ... ከምኡ'ውን ክፍሊት! ኣብ ኣልበርታ ዘሎ ናይ ኣገልግሎት ሒሳብ ምርዳእ

6 ክትፈልጦም ዘለኹም ነገራት A primer on Alberta utility bills in Tigrinya. For more translations, see cbc.ca/utilities.

熱能、電力……還有費用!瞭解您在阿爾伯塔省的公用事業賬單

瞭解您在阿爾伯塔省的公用事業賬單 A primer on Alberta utility bills in Cantonese. For more translations, see cbc.ca/utilities.

Enmax has put electricity load limiters on more than 1,500 Calgary homes this year

City-owned Enmax has finally released the number of customers it has on load limiters.

Heads up! Your carbon tax rebate has been pushed back to July

Alberta is among the few provinces also eligible for a federal carbon tax rebate —$1,079 for a family of four — and this year there are changes to how that rebate will be paid out.
Opinion

Alberta needs a greener grid but access fees could swamp us if we don't fix the system

In Alberta, the electricity market system is vulnerable to utilities overcharging. If that’s not dealt with now, the cost of achieving net zero could be much more painful.

How can you get the best deal on power in Calgary? We crunch the numbers

Big and small, dozens of companies are competing for the right to sell you electricity and gas. So how do you find the best deal? Here's what we learned.

'It's become gouging:' Small towns ask Alberta Utilities Commission to evaluate increased fees

Rural Alberta towns are speaking out about the impact rising utility fees are having on residents, businesses and non-profits.

As people struggle to pay rising utility bills, Enmax won't say how many have had their power cut off

With power prices up, a lot of people are finding it tough to pay the utility bill. But how many can’t pay and end up with their power cut or limited? Enmax won't say.

Mystery jump in power consumption? You might have a broken meter.

CBC Calgary's call-out to the community on utility bills turned up multiple examples of electrical meter issues. And with inflation driving up costs across the board, many folks don't have $100 or more to risk on getting the meter checked. They're frustrated.

Calgary rakes in extra $47M from access fee on power and gas bills, debates how to spend the cash

The extra cash from utility access fees is tied to the surge in energy prices last year. Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says the money could be used to help those hit hardest by soaring utility bills.

New legislation would enable Alberta government to give consumers power, natural gas rebates

Albertans could begin to see rebates on their power bills as early as June, says the minister responsible for electricity and natural gas.

Power companies pull in nearly five times the profit during winter rate spike: U of C economist

As power prices hit record highs, customers blamed everything from fees to the carbon tax. But this research shows private profits were by far the largest driver, said economist Blake Shaffer, who released the data analysis Wednesday.
CBC Explains

Alberta is moving to dissolve the electricity Balancing Pool. Here's why that matters to you

Alberta’s government says it will wind down the operations of an entity that’s been a major player in the province’s power market. But what is the Balancing Pool, what did it do and how will this move impact you?
Video

Replay: Tackling utility bills. Get your questions answered before a summer spike

Join CBC host Rob Brown and local experts to get your utility bill questions answered. Power and heat; rates and consumption — it's not too late to lock in or improve home efficiency. Summer is peak power season in Calgary.

Did Alberta overbuild its energy infrastructure? This critic thinks so, and it affects what you pay

Lawyer Jim Wachowich has been defending the public interest at utility hearings for nearly 30 years. He says Alberta made predictions on energy demand that never panned out; it built more than it had to and you're paying for it. 

Add-on fees paid by Calgarians on utility bills have doubled since 2010

Customers are frustrated and ticked off at these add-ons fees — which appear with little explanation and can add up to more than the cost of the energy used.

$115M spent in Canada annually on low-income energy help. Just not in Alberta

In Karen Shaw's home, a critical BiPap ventilator drives up the power bill. She's one of many Calgary residents who went searching for help to improve home efficiency and came up empty. A new report explains why.

Utility bills: Join the investigation and get answers through text messaging

Are your utility bills going up? Do you know why and how to minimize it? CBC Calgary is launching a new community-driven investigation to supply answers during a challenging time. Join us. We value your experience and your questions.

'I don't wish it on my worst enemy': Calgarians detail life with an electricity load limiter

With utility fees and rates rising, some Calgarians can't pay their bills. After a few missed payments, they may find themselves strapped with a load limiter and facing disconnection. 

Council to question Enmax on utility bills at closed-door meeting Thursday

City council gets the chance to question Enmax on Thursday about sky-high utility bills seen by Calgarians in recent month. But the biggest topic on the agenda is the dividend the corporation is paying to city budget.