Bylaw 1661 - Fire Services Billing

Cardston, Alberta

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot bcb26847ae48 · verified 2026-06-08 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

TOWN OF CARDSTON IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA BYLAW 1661 FIRE SERVICES BILLING BYLAW Consolidated to 1661A - February 27, 2024 TOWN OF CARDSTON BYLAW 1661 PAGE 1 OF 4 Table of Contents PART I - TITLE, PURPOSE, DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION.............. 2 TITLE ........................................................................................................... 2 PURPOSE ..................................................................................................... 2 DEFINITIONS ................................................................................................ 2 RULES FOR INTERPRETATION ........................................................................ 3 PART II - COSTS AND CHARGES ................................................................... 4 COSTS FOR FIRE SERVICES........................................................................... 4 COLLECTION OF CHARGES ........................................................................... 4 EFFECTIVE DATE .......................................................................................... 5 FIRE PROTECTION CHARGES......................................................................... 1 TOWN OF CARDSTON BYLAW 1661 PAGE 2 OF 4 TOWN OF CARDSTON IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA BYLAW 1661 FIRE SERVICES BILLING BYLAW A BYLAW OF THE TOWN OF CARDSTON IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA TO COLLECT CHARGES FOR PROVISION OF FIRE SERVICES WHEREAS, the Municipal Government Act, being Chapter M-26 Revised Statues of Alberta 2000, and as amended from time to time, provides that a Council of a Municipality may pass bylaws for services provided by or on behalf of the municipality, AND WHEREAS, the Municipal Government Act, being Chapter M-26 Revised Statues of Alberta 2000, and as amended from time to time, provides that a Municipality may, pursuant to a bylaw, collect the costs and expenses incurred by the municipality for fire suppression and protection services, AND WHEREAS the Council for the Town of Cardston has entered into an agreement with Cardston County, Village of Hillspring, and Village of Glenwood to create the Cardston County Emergency Services to provide fire suppression and protection services as per Town of Cardston Bylaw #1611. NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the Town of Cardston, duly assembled, enacts as follows: PART I - TITLE, PURPOSE, DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION TITLE 1) This bylaw shall be known as the "Fire Services Billing Bylaw" of the Town of Cardston. PURPOSE 2) The Purpose of this Bylaw is to outline the regulation and processes for the collection of costs related to fire services within the Municipality of the Town of Cardston. DEFINITIONS 3) In this bylaw: (a) "Alarm system" means any device designed to request emergency services by telephone or any other electronic signal. (b) "Council" means Town of Cardston Council. (c) "Cardston County Emergency Services" (CCES) means the TOWN OF CARDSTON BYLAW 1661 PAGE 3 OF 4 organization established by Bylaw for the purposes of providing fire suppression and fire protection related services to its members. (d) "Equipment" means any tools, contrivances, devices and materials used by the Cardston County Emergency Services (CCES) to combat an incident or other emergency. (e) "False alarm" means activation of an Alarm System as a result of which emergency services are provided and no evidence of unauthorized entry or illegal act or fire, smoke, hazardous gas or other similar emergency condition is found by emergency service providers. False Alarm incidents include but are not limited to: i. Testing of an Alarm System; ii. Activation of an Alarm System by mechanical failure or malfunction, or faulty equipment; iii. Activation of an Alarm System due to the movement of pets; iv. Activation of an Alarm System by acts of negligence, error, or omission; v. Activation of an Alarm System by atmospheric conditions, excessive vibrations, power failure, or communications failure." (f) "Fire" means the burning of any flammable or combustible material or any combustible material in the state of combustion. (g) "Fire Protection Charges" means those fees and charges, as established by Council from time to time, for fire protection services as set out in schedule A, and attached to this bylaw. (h) "Incident" means a fire or situation where a fire or an explosion is imminent or any other situation where there is a fire, or a danger or possible danger to life or property. (i) "Property" means any personal real property, including land, equipment, products, vehicles, and structures. (j) "Town" means the Town of Cardston. RULES FOR INTERPRETATION 4) The table of contents, marginal notes and headings in this bylaw are for reference purposes only. TOWN OF CARDSTON BYLAW 1661 PAGE 4 OF 4 PART II - COSTS AND CHARGES COSTS FOR FIRE SERVICES 5) The CCES will send an accounting of all costs related to a fire within the municipal boundaries of Cardston to the Town and advise the Town to charge fire protection charges in accordance with schedule A, as amended from time to time. COLLECTION OF CHARGES 6) Where CCES has taken any action whatsoever for the purposes of extinguishing a fire or responding to an incident, including a false alarm, within the Town, the Town shall, in consideration of those costs and also any costs incurred by the Town in taking such action, including the costs of securing a building, structure or thing, or securing Town or privately owned equipment and manpower necessary to bring the fire or incident under control, and charge those costs to: (a) The person causing or contributing to the fire; or (b) The owner or occupant of the property which is the subject for the requirement of fire protection services. 7) All individuals charged are jointly and severally liable for payment of the fire protection charges to the Town. 8) The CCES shall forward all information to the Town necessary to bill the appropriate person or persons 9) All charges shall be pursued as per the most recent policy of the Town related to the collection of doubtful accounts. 10) Where fire protection charges are not paid on demand by the Town, fire protection charges relating to the extinguishing or response to a fire on the land, and interest charges accrued may be added to the tax roll of the land. 11) All owners of the real property to whose tax roll the fees for service or charges or any or all of them were added to the tax roll, shall be liable jointly and severally for paying such fees and charges, and such fees and charges shall be collected in a like manner as municipal taxes. 12) Should any section or part of this bylaw be found to be improperly enacted, or outside of the Town's jurisdiction, for any reason, then such section or part will be regarded as being severed and the remaining sections will remain effective and enforceable. TOWN OF CARDSTON BYLAW 1661 PAGE 5 OF 4 Received First Reading this 11th day of July, 2017 Received Second Reading this 8th day of August, 2017 Received Third & Final Reading this 8th day of August, 2017 Signed by the Mayor and the Chief Administrative Officer this 9th day of August, 2017 Amended by bylaw 1661A this 27th day of February, 2024 TOWN OF CARDSTON Maggie Kronen MAYOR - Maggie Kronen Jeff Shaw CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER - Jeff Shaw EFFECTIVE DATE 13) This Bylaw shall come in force upon the date of its third and final reading. SCHEDULE "A" TOWN OF CARDSTON BYLAW 1661 SCHEDULE "A" PAGE 1 OF 1 FIRE PROTECTION CHARGES Hourly rate per unit $615.00 FALSE ALARM RESPONSE CHARGES (PER 12-MONTH PERIOD) First response No fee Second response $75 Third response $350 Fourth and subsequent Responses $675