YORKTON, Sask. — Yorkton residents could see their monthly utility bills rise by nearly 10 per cent next year under a proposed rate model aimed at supporting operations, rebuilding reserves and funding major infrastructure projects, including the city's planned Water Pollution Control Plant Renewal.
Administration presented the proposed 2027 utility rates to council during its Nov. 9 meeting. The proposal represents the third and final year of a three-year rate framework first approved in 2024.
If approved, the changes would take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
The proposal includes a 6.15 per cent increase in water consumption and sewer discharge rates, along with a $5 monthly increase in residential and commercial base rates.
For a typical residential customer using 11 cubic metres of water per month, the monthly utility bill would increase from $77.15 to $84.79, a rise of $7.64, or 9.9 per cent. The increase works out to about 25 cents per day.
The city's updated consumption estimate reflects actual usage patterns. Administration reported that the average residential customer uses about 11.3 cubic metres of water per month, leading the city to lower its benchmark from the 13-cubic-metre figure used in previous rate reviews.
According to the report, the proposed residential base rate would increase from $34.25 to $39.25 per month, while the water and sewer consumption charge would rise from $3.90 to $4.14 per cubic metre.
Commercial customers would see their monthly base charge increase from $60 to $65, while consumption charges would rise at the same rate as residential customers.
Industrial customers would face larger increases as part of what administration describes as a continued shift toward a more equitable distribution of utility costs. Monthly base charges for industries located within city limits would double from $1,250 to $2,500, while customers outside the city would see base charges rise from $1,875 to $3,750.
Administration said the changes reflect increasing industrial water demand and the infrastructure investments required to support future growth.
The report notes that Yorkton's utility rates would remain competitive compared with similar communities despite the increases. Based on adopted 2026 rates, Yorkton's projected residential base rate and consumption charges would remain below peer-community averages, while a typical residential bill would be lower than those in eight of 10 comparable municipalities.
A major driver behind the proposed rates is the city's Water Pollution Control Plant Renewal project. The city has secured approximately $36.7 million in federal and provincial funding for Phase 1 through the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund's provincial-territorial stream.
The overall project is currently estimated to cost between $211 million and $343 million, with the final cost to be determined as engineering progresses. A construction start date has not yet been confirmed.
Under the proposed revenue model, administration estimates about 54 per cent of utility revenue would support ongoing operations, while 33 per cent would be directed toward the wastewater treatment plant renewal project and 13 per cent would be allocated to reserves.
The Environmental Committee reviewed several rate models in October and recommended council proceed with the proposed option, which would increase the typical residential monthly bill by 9.9 per cent.
Council will consider a utility rate bylaw amendment later this month. Before then, the city plans to share information through its Shape Your City platform and gather public feedback on the proposal.
Council voted to receive the report and accompanying presentation for information, with a utility rate bylaw amendment scheduled for consideration at the Nov. 30 regular council meeting.
