Kelly Anderson claims he was charged 169 times for empty apartments in 2022. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Lakeview

Apartment building owner claims water and sewer rate amounts to extortion

Jan 12, 2023 | 5:05 PM

The owner of La Ronge’s Lakeview Apartments is accusing the municipality of extortion in relation to what he pays for water and sewer rates.

Kelly Anderson spoke to town council as a delegation at a regular meeting on Tuesday. He explained to council that he believes he is being overcharged for water and sewer because the municipality is collecting payment on units that don’t have any tenants.

Anderson claims he has been charged for water and sewer on vacant apartments 785 times in the last seven years including 169 times in 2022 alone.

“This town is extorting money from me and it has to stop,” he said. “You guys need to refund me, you guys need to look at this issue and adjust it so it reflects fair billing.”

Anderson also believes the amount paid in sewer and water at an apartment compared to a single family home is unfair. Rates for an apartment is $63 per month, while the rate for a house is $82 per month.

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“There is no way that a one-bedroom apartment with one person in it uses 75 per cent of what a house uses,” he said.

Aside from a refund and a change in rates, Anderson noted he’d like to be able to submit a vacancy report in the future, so he is charged only for units that are occupied.

In an email to larongeNOW, chief administrative officer Lyle Hannan wrote the water rates were approved by a town bylaw which required and received approval from Saskatchewan Municipal Board. He added the bylaw is legally enforceable and that those who do not pay utility bills may have them placed on their taxes.

“The property can be acquired by the town via tax enforcement,” Hannan wrote. “All these processes are governed by legislation.”

Hannan mentioned the current water and sewer rates have not been changed since 2016 and that current senior administration and council have not conducted a thorough review and revamping of the rates.

“Mr. Anderson’s commentary about the distribution of charges to dwelling types will be considered in conjunction with our research and other factors, and then presented to council in the future (when rates are reviewed later this year),” Hannan wrote.

“In communities where there is metered/volume-based water billings, there is still a base charge that all dwellings pay regardless of occupancy. Therefore, vacant rental units pay for utilities unless the owner wishes to pay a disconnect and reconnect fee (which is typically more expensive). Further, there is no easy way to administratively confirm if dwellings are vacant for any given period of time…and vacancy can change on any given day. As such, it is highly unlikely the town would ever introduce vacancy reductions or billing exemptions.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno