Your Local Multi-Utility Provider
Dedicated to the responsible management of integrated services, Utilities Kingston provides the following core
utility services:
- An assured clean drinking water supply to 36,000 customers
- Collection and treatment of wastewater
- Safe and reliable gas services to nearly 14,000 customers
- Asset management, billing, and operational services to Kingston Hydro,
which in turn provides electricity distribution services to 27,000 customers in central Kingston
- Reliable maintenance of over 10,000 streetlights and traffic signals at 200 intersections
- Specialized fibre optic broadband networking services.
A major benefit is the cost-effective and highly-reliable monitoring of the City’s utility infrastructure.
Our Vision
To be recognized as a company committed to innovation, prosperity and service excellence, valued by
our customers and reinvesting in our community’s future.
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Our Mission
We are a community-based corporation, dedicated to the responsible management of safe, reliable,
integrated services.
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Our Values
We are a TEAM that is recognized for being
honest, motivated, respectful, and reliable.
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This shared services delivery model is unique in Ontario and gives Utilities Kingston
clear advantages in cost savings and customer service over other utility providers in the
province.
Cost Savings
Cost savings come from efficiencies through the scope of services provided.
One example of this is the savings from printing and mailing just one bill for all services
received by the customer.
Customer Service Advantages
- One call to arrange for service changes when you move
- One call and one appointment for underground locates when you excavate on
your property for fencing, pool installations and so on
- One contact for a number of new construction services, which assists the community
in economic development
- Efficient coordination of joint construction projects
(for example, combining water, sewer, gas, electricity, and road works).
This leads to timely and cost-effective completion of projects,
with less disruption to customers.
Our Organization
Utilities Kingston is unique in Ontario, combining water, wastewater, gas and electrical services and a
broadband fibre optics provider in one company under the leadership of a single CEO.
This structure enables the complex choreography of multiple work programs, leading to the timely and
cost-effective completion of the work. Along with helping to ensure that infrastructure repairs are
less disruptive to residents and businesses, one of the most obvious benefits of a multi-utility
structure that has all services under one roof, is cost-savings from economies of scope. We benefit
from a shared services model for activities, equipment, and systems, ranging from customer care,
billing, accounting, fleet and even some operational functions.
Our Roots
Utilities Kingston has provided the residents of Kingston with safe and reliable utility services for
more than 100 years.
Over the years our name and corporate structure have changed, but one thing has remained constant:
we are the City-owned utility company accountable to the City of Kingston, City Council, and the
residents of the local community.
Prior to amalgamation on January 1, 1998, the utility services were provided by
several different groups:
- water and wastewater by the former townships
- wastewater services by the former City government
- water, natural gas, and electricity services in the former City by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
As a result of amalgamation, all of these services were brought together under one
organization, now known as Utilities Kingston.
Changes to the Electricity Distribution Industry
The introduction of the
Energy Competition Act
in June of 1998 initiated significant changes to electric utilities in the Province of Ontario.
One of these was the establishment of corporate structures for the ongoing management and operation of
electricity distribution systems – a requirement that would create a level playing field
between privately-owned utilities and those that were retained by their municipalities.
Legislation was prescriptive in the way these corporations were to be set up. In
particular, municipalities could not continue to distribute electricity, except through a
corporation. In addition, employees within a municipally-held electricity distribution
corporation could not be significantly involved in any other activities except electricity
distribution.
This created challenges for the municipal department that operated four utility systems.
The City of Kingston, as owner, determined it would benefit the municipality to maintain
the multi-utility structure.
The organization needed a structure that would meet the intent of the legislation,
maintain the advantages realized through utility convergence or integration (one call, one
crew and one bill) and support the municipality though sharing services such as finance,
where beneficial to both parties.
An Innovative Solution
Utilities Kingston is owned by Ontario Corporation No. 1425447,
which is in turn wholly-owned by the City of Kingston
(grey lines show Ownership; blue lines show Management)
The proposed solution, which became the current structure, saw the
incorporation of three Ontario Business Corporations. The first, Kingston Hydro
Corporation, holds the assets of the former Hydro Electric Commission. The second, 1425447
Ontario Limited that was formed as a generating company, owns the third, 1425445 Ontario
Limited (operating as Utilities Kingston). The latter is home to all the employees of the
former municipal department, and owns the assets of the fibre optic utility.
Through this structure, which is unique in Ontario, Utilities Kingston manages, operates
and maintains the assets of the water, wastewater, gas and electric utilities.
Local Services You Can Rely On
The local utility structure provides the City of Kingston with a unique advantage over
other municipalities.
Throughout the city, the municipality owns the water and wastewater
assets. In the core area of the city, the municipality owns gas assets and, through
Kingston Hydro, the electric assets.
Public accountability ensures residents that vital services like water, wastewater and
electricity are provided while meeting the highest safety standards. Furthermore, the
company must be accessible to all its stakeholders.
The residents of Kingston benefit from an accessible, socially-conscious utility that is
committed to providing its services in the most cost effective, efficient manner possible.
Through the strategy of utility convergence, employees are cross-trained in many
disciplines, allowing the company to effectively share human resources and equipment.
Utilities Kingston recognizes that by focusing on the customer, policies and processes are
streamlined to make the company an efficient utility provider.
Our Funding Model
Reinvesting in Our Community
Did you know that profits from our water heater rental program
are invested in the City of Kingston Environmental Fund?
This is just one of the ways Utilities Kingston is proud to support the community’s sustainability goals.
Each utility – water, wastewater, natural gas, electricity and fibre – is completely funded by
user fees, and through this funding model promotes utility conservation.
Steps are taken to prevent cross-subsidization between the utilities.
Utilities Kingston’s profits are reinvested locally in Kingston.
Putting Sustainability to Work
Utilities Kingston is a partner and supporter of the
Sustainable Kingston
initiative, helping to achieve our community’s vision of becoming Canada’s Most Sustainable City.
Our employees deliver initiatives that help build active citizenship, encourage the community
to use less electricity and less treated water, provide clean and safe potable water that
exceeds Ministry of the Environment standards, and much more.
We take pride in attracting and retaining skilled talent and offer fulfilling jobs with safe
working conditions.