Calgary mayor, province at odds over plan to lower utility bills [Video]

Calgary’s mayor is sparring with the Government of Alberta over the rollout of new legislation meant to lower utility bills in Calgary.

On Monday, the province announced plans to amend the Municipal Government Act and ban cities from using variable rates to calculate local access fees on power bills.

Electricity customers are currently charged a local access fee, which is used to compensate a municipality for the use of its property to provide electricity services.

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Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said Calgary already has a plan to bring down local access fees, approved in March, with implementation expected in 2027.

She blamed the province for the long timeframe.

“Because of the complexity of having to change existing agreements and get an approval for new agreements that our utilities will probably have to spend about that much time to get the approvals from the Alberta Utilities Commission,” Gondek said Tuesday.

“If …