By rdnewsNOW staff

COVID-19 RESPONSE

Lacombe providing utilities, tax payment relief for residents & businesses

Mar 24, 2020 | 2:12 PM

Lacombe city council has directed administration to implement a number of community economic supports to mitigate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents and local businesses.

“Council fully appreciates the many challenges our community is facing during this crisis,” said Mayor Grant Creasey in a release. “By deferring some of these costs over the short term, we hope to ease the financial burden on residents and businesses affected by the pandemic, and help them weather this significant and unprecedented storm. However, we do encourage those able to pay their bills and taxes to do so by the usual deadlines, as the City relies on that revenue to fund essential services.”

“The City recognizes that this is a time of extreme financial disruption for many residents and businesses in the community,” said Chief Administrative Officer Matthew Goudy. “We’re pleased that we could develop some options for Council to consider as they looked for ways to provide some level of buffer in Lacombe.”

Effective April 2020, the City of Lacombe is suspending late payment penalties on utility accounts, giving residents and businesses a grace period of three months where utility payments can be deferred, after which they have six months to repay the deferred amount. There is no need to sign up; however, ratepayers are encouraged to pay any amount they can in order to minimize utility carry-over payments. For more information, call (403)782-1265 or email utilities@lacombe.ca.

Council has also approved a program giving property owners the opportunity to defer their Tax Installment Payment Plan (TIPP) payments for a maximum of three months (April, May, June), beginning in April. The city says that if owners miss the April deadline to defer, they can still sign up and defer their May and June payments. When payments resume in July, they will be adjusted to the appropriate amount needed to have the balance paid off in full by December 31, 2020.

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The City is also moving the property tax deadline from June 30 to December 31, 2020 in a bid to provide cash flow relief to residents and businesses financially impacted by the pandemic. Please note that property tax notices will be mailed out in May for those wishing to pay by June 30.

For more information, please call 403-782-1257 or email propertytax@lacombe.ca.