3Expats, who have found property to rent in Canada, should ask if utilities such as electricity, gas and water are included in the payment, this way they will know what they are paying for and will know what services they will need to consider setting up in their new home.
Electricity
If you are required to find an electricity provider in Canada, expats can obtain information from their landlord or their local authorities. The electrical system uses the same volt system as the United States which is 110 volts.
Setting up electricity in your home is fairly straight forward and you will only need to make a call to the company. Individuals may be required to provide information such as, proof of address and an ID as well as visa status and a deposit for the connection.
Meters will be read quarterly and a monthly bill will be sent to your home. Paying for electricity bills can be done in different ways with the most popular choice being direct debit which takes the payment from your account each month or customers can choose to pay for the bill online.
Water
The houses in Canada are usually on a water meter so you will only be required to pay for the water that you use. However some choose not to be on a meter. The costs of water will vary depending on which province you live in although the supply is reasonably priced.
To get connected to the water supply, you will need to contact your local department in your provincial government. When connecting to water supply, you will be asked to show proof of address, ID and visa documentation.
Bills for water supply are received on a monthly basis, and are usually paid for by individuals on a direct debit or by sending a cheque to the company. Depending on where you are living you may be able to pay the water bill on a quarterly basis.
Gas
Gas in Canada is required due to the heating system, gas appliances and fires. In areas such as NW territories expats will find there is no mains for the gas so they will need to run appliances from bottled gas.
Each region will have their own natural gas supplier, so it is recommended to contact local authorities to find out who the local gas supplies are.
When opening an account you will need to contact the company that serves your area and you may be required to pay an administration fee along with a security deposit. Fees vary on where you live. In addition to this a connection fee may need to be paid for. Gas meters are usually read every 2-3 months and there are different ways a gas bill could be paid for such as, direct debit, cheque payment and online banking payment.
Waste Disposal
When moving in to your property, you should ask your landlord, previous homeowner or local authority to find out what the collection service is. Most areas will have weekly collections but in some areas you may be required to take your rubbish to a drop off point.
The area you are living in will have a landfill site where you are able to recycle items which cannot be put into the bins at home. The landfill sites will have facilities for mobile phones, electrical items, tins of paints as well as other things.