The Town of Battleford is encouraging residents to arrange to have their utility bills sent to them electronically instead of through the mail for a chance to win in its new contest. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Chance to win

Town contest encourages people to move to electronic billing

Mar 9, 2020 | 4:52 PM

Battleford residents who usually receive their utility invoices through the mail may want to opt for electronic billing instead with this new offer.

The town is running a contest with a chance for a resident or a commercial/industrial ratepayer to win a discount on their utility bill if they switch to electronic billing.

Council approved the utility e-bill contest ending April 24 for a one-time prize of a minimum quarterly charge of $252 to be credited to a residential entrant’s utility account; and the quarterly minimum charge of one commercial/industrial account holder for the period ending April 30.

While people can arrange to have electronic billing at anytime, the town hopes the contest will act as an incentive for those who make the change now.

“E-bill is the way of the future,” Mayor Ames Leslie said. “I know that not everybody has the ability today to take advantage of e-bills. But the more e-bills we can do, it helps people get their bills more timely than waiting for the mail to get it there.”

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The mayor added using e-billing also cuts down on the town’s carbon footprint, and costs.

“It helps the town go a little more green, with less paper, less waste and less recycling,” he said. “There is a slight cost savings to the town by going this way.”

Leslie commended Coun. Judy Pruden for proposing the idea for the contest to help get more people to sign up for e-billing.

Those who sign up by the contest close date will be entered into a draw.

One residential entrant selected will receive their minimum water bill base rate amount back, and one commercial/industrial entrant who signs up for e-billing will receive from about $190 to $220 back as a discount on their water bill as a one time credit.

The 2020 e-bill promotion contest runs from Feb. 1 to April 24, and is open to each new e-billing customer during that period.

According CAO John Enns-Wind’s report, residents and business owners who have signed up for e-billing as of April 24 are automatically entered into the draw to have their April utility bill discounted the minimum charge. Two prizes are available – one each for residential accounts and for commercial/industrial. Those who sign up by the contest close date will receive their e-bill April 30.

The CAO reported to be eligible for the draw, the contest winner must be a new e-bill subscriber, and their account must be in good standing.

He said the chances of winning a prize are dependent on the number of eligible entries at the time of the prize draws. Prizes are to be drawn on April 24. Winners must also correctly answer a simple time-limited mathematical question before they can be declared a winner.

Enns-Wind’s said as of Feb. 24, a total of 95 households signed up for e-billing since the town first encouraged people to make the change in its last utility bill mail out. The aim of this contest is to entice more people to also sign up.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow