Wilmot resident concerned as township moves forward with paper billing fee

As Wilmot’s council prepares to start charging for paper billing, some residents are asking the township to reconsider the move. CTV’s Alexandra Holyk reports.

People living in Wilmot Township will have to pay a fee to get their property tax and utility bills in the mail.

Starting on Oct. 1, those who don’t sign up to go paperless will have a $2.50 charge tacked onto each of their municipal bills.

Wilmot council made the decision during budget talks earlier this year as it wrestled with ways to bring a proposed 50 per cent tax hike down to 18 per cent.

“It’s mainly for cost recovery,” said Wilmot Township Chief Administrative Officer Jeff Willmer. “There is an extra cost for us to generate the paper, stuff the envelopes, pay the postage, and that comes to about $50,000 a year.”

The township is one of three municipalities in Ontario to charge a fee. The city of Quinte West charges $1.50 for paper utility bills only. In Sioux Lookout, residents pay $3.00 per property tax and utility bill.

Willmer said the township wasn’t following in another’s footsteps.

“I don’t think it was because others were doing it,” he said. “I think the idea came from our councillors that were looking for ways to help balance the budget.”

So far, Willmer said about half of the township’s 22,000 residents have shifted to e-billing. However, some residents have reservations.

“If it would be an electronic bill and a township gets hacked, then the problem comes into Jimmy’s court,” 80-year-old Jim Corbett told CTV News. “Then I have the problem. I don’t need that in my life.”

Corbett has lived in Wilmot Township for nearly half his life. He built his family home in New Dundee 39 years ago, and has always kept a paper trail of all his payments.

“I’m from the old school,” he said. “You like something in your hand, something you can file.”

Corbett said he’s not alone in his push against going paperless.

“There’s people in our township or in our village that don’t even know what a computer is, much less having to pay on it. So, what about them?” Corbett asked.

Willmer said the township hears Corbett’s concerns, but the fee will remain in place.

“It’s a pretty modest cost,” said Willmer. “It’s only $15 a year. And certainly, we encourage people to sign up for paperless billing if they’re comfortable with that, but we’re not requiring it.”

Corbett said he hopes the township reconsiders.

“If not, I will likely pay the $2.50 and we’ll just see what happens,” he said. “I would think that this is not over.”