Presentation to Disability Issues Committee

June 27, 2014

Toronto’s New Utility Bill

Utility Bill Redesign

• In 2012, the City commissioned Ipsos-Reid to undertake a study of the City’s utility bill and brochure formats for clarity and readability

– On-line survey – quantitative (n = 520)

– Focus group testing – qualitative (n = 32)

Utility Bill Redesign

• November 2012: City Council adopted MM28.7: "Toward an age-friendly and informative Toronto Water and Solid Waste Management Services invoice for seniors, the disabled and everyone.“

• Motion requested staff review the utility bill for:

– Greater clarity on charges and early payment discounts;

– Allow comparison to average usage;

– Information and tools to allow consumers to track consumption and conservation strategies;

– Larger type-face and enhanced pictographs for those with disabilities.

Readability Study: Findings

• Overall, utility bills were considered useful, well designed, and easy to understand, however…

• 25%, when surveyed, believed that the

utility bill included electricity and 10% believed gas was included

Very easy to understand

Somewhat easy to understand

Somewhat difficult

Very difficult

n/a

23% 30% 17% 7% 20%

Readability Study: Findings

Likes:

“The reverse side of the bill had lots of valuable information to participants, (the Cashier Counter locations and the contact information for inquiries)”.

• Most participants look to brochures for more information when it’s required, and most are happy to seek out this information online in lieu of receiving it by mail.

Dislikes:

• The main challenge with the bill was participants’ inability to identify the final amount due.

“It’s a big blob there. You can’t make out what’s what. They need to put lines or boxes to make separate sections for the different charges.”

Dislikes:

“The font reminds me of DOS. It looks so old. It’s giving me a headache trying to read it.”

Approvals

• January 2014: Toronto Water, Solid Waste Management Services and Revenue Services sign off on proposed new bill design, in consultation with Strategic Communications.

• February 2014: Government Management Committee adopts item GM28.14: A New Design for Toronto’s Utility Bill.

• Implementation scheduled for late 2014.

Design Considerations

• Use graphics and colours – icons for separate services

• Include simple usage/consumption graphics for clarity.

• Large fonts for readability (and AODA compliance - minimum 10 pt).

• Simple billing summaries – details attached as separate pages where necessary.

New Bill Features

• Clear Summary of Billed Amounts

New Bill Features

• Simplified Billing Calculations

New Bill Features

• Customer-Specific Information

Accessibility Considerations

• New bill designed to ensure homeowners and residents have access to the same information in a format that meets their particular needs.

• AODA requires that a person’s disability is taken into account when communicating with them, including accessible formats and other communication supports.

• Consider age limitations, language limitations, and various forms of disability.

Accessibility Considerations

• Accessible formats (for utility bill and brochures) depending on customer’s stated preference include:

– large print versions

– machine-readable or other electronic formats,

– braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities

• Communication supports include alternative and augmentative communication supports (translation services), plain language, etc.

Accessibility Features

• New utility bill format includes messaging, on both front and reverse of the bill, notifying of availability of accessible formats and communication supports, and how to request or access these formats.

• Utility bill brochures are and will continue to be made available in large print versions on the City's website.

• Large print versions of the utility bill feature minimum font size of 12 point, but can be produced in any size, depending on a customer's stated needs

Print Considerations

• Print/mailing technology allows for smart messaging insertion – specific messages, e.g. overdue payments, estimated billing, etc.

• Standardized size formats (for electronic storage/reproduction), in-house printing.

• Use brochures for non-critical messages, corporate messages, information/education – 56% read it always/sometimes – only 15% said never read it

Improved Access

• On-line look up/account enquiry (coming 2014)

- account balance

- overdue amounts

- next payment due date

- billing/payment details

And soon: order water certificate, duplicate bill, change of ownership

Questions?

Thank you Casey Brendon

Director, Revenue Services Division

City of Toronto

cbrendo@toronto.ca

Comments/Feedback/Suggestions: Bernita Lee Janice Dicks

Consultant, Equity, Diversity & Committee Clerk

Human Rights Division 416-397-7767

416-392-5251 Blee@toronto.ca jdicks@toronto.ca

Fairness

• In 2011, Toronto’s Ombudsman made recommendations (in response to residents’ concerns over high billings) to allow changes to by-laws to allow billing adjustments to address “unexplainable or uncontrollable consumption increases”.

• Increase frequency of letters requesting customers to provide an actual meter reading (after 3 consecutive estimated billings).

Utility Customers

92%

3% 2% 3% Water (Small Meter) 451,000

Water (Large Meter*) 16,000

Water: Flat Rate 7,000

Solid Waste Only 16,000

Total Accounts: 490,000

* Large meter: > 37 mm (1.5”)

Utility Billing Cycle

• Billings are extracted and produced weekly

– approx. 30,000 / week

– Sent to external printer for printing/mailing

• Residential / low volume customers are billed 3 times per year (billing period ~120 days)

– 28,000 / week

• High volume customers are billed monthly

– 2,000 / week

Billing & Payment Preferences

• epost electronic billings

– 30,300 customers (~ 6%)

• Payment methods:

– Electronic (bank & web banking) 73%

– Pre-authorized withdrawal 14%

– Cheque payment (by mail) 11%

– In person (counters) 2%