Utilities in Vernon: power, gas, water and garbage

This page walks through the utilities most Vernon homes deal with: electricity, natural gas, water, garbage and sewer. It is an independent guide from a local real estate agent, not affiliated with BC Hydro, FortisBC, the City of Vernon, Greater Vernon Water or the Regional District of North Okanagan. Rates and restrictions change, so each answer points you to the official source. Always confirm current details with the utility before you rely on them.

Who supplies power and gas?

In Vernon, BC Hydro handles electricity and FortisBC handles natural gas.

Is FortisBC gas or electric?

FortisBC is both: it delivers natural gas across much of B.C. and also sells electricity in some other parts of the province, but in Vernon it is your natural gas company. The City of Vernon's utilities page says natural gas is provided by FortisBC and that, where electricity is used, it is provided by BC Hydro.

So a typical Vernon home deals with BC Hydro for power and FortisBC for gas, if the house has a gas connection. Not every home is on gas, so ask the seller or landlord which services are connected before you move in.

How can I contact BC Hydro?

You can reach BC Hydro at 1 800 BCHYDRO (1 800 224 9376) or through a MyHydro online account. Phone hours are Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and outages can be reported around the clock. A virtual assistant chats 24/7, with live chat weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. BC Hydro's Vernon office is at 1401 Kalamalka Lake Road, open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To start service, create a MyHydro profile and open a residential account. Have your new address, phone number and, if renting, your landlord's details ready. A $13.50 plus GST new-account charge appears on your first bill, and some accounts need a deposit.

What will my power bill look like?

How much is the average BC Hydro bill?

BC Hydro does not publish one average bill for Vernon, because a bill swings widely with home size, heating type and the season. A small condo heated with gas and a large house with electric baseboards or a heat pump can differ by hundreds of dollars over a winter.

What you can check is the price. In October 2026, BC Hydro's standard tiered rate was 11.87 cents per kWh for roughly the first 1,350 kWh in a 60-day billing period and 14.08 cents after that, plus a basic charge of 23.44 cents a day. Ask the seller for twelve months of past bills, or use the rate estimator in MyHydro.

Why is BC Hydro Bill so high?

BC Hydro bills usually run high because of electric heating in winter, use that tips into the higher second tier, and annual rate increases. In October 2026, BC Hydro's standard tiered rate was 11.87 cents per kWh for roughly the first 1,350 kWh in a 60-day billing period and 14.08 cents beyond that. The BC Utilities Commission also approved 3.75% increases in each of two years starting April 2025, according to BC Hydro.

Check your bill for the number of days and kWh used, then compare the tiered, flat and time-of-day options in MyHydro.

What is the best BC Hydro rate plan?

There is no single best plan; it depends on how much power you use and when. BC Hydro offers its standard tiered rate, an optional flat rate and optional time-of-day pricing that can be added to either. It says the flat rate suits higher-use homes, such as electrically heated detached houses, while the tiered rate suits condos and homes with non-electric heat, and time-of-day suits people who can shift use or charge an electric vehicle overnight.

In October 2026 the flat rate was 12.70 cents per kWh plus a basic charge of 25 cents a day. MyHydro's rate estimator compares plans using your own past usage.

What time of day is BC Hydro cheapest?

Overnight, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., but only if you opt in to BC Hydro's time-of-day pricing. That option takes 5 cents off every kWh used overnight and adds 5 cents per kWh from 4 to 9 p.m. The hours from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. carry no change (BC Hydro).

It works with the tiered or flat plan and needs a connected smart meter. BC Hydro generally does not recommend it for apartments or condos unless you charge an electric vehicle at home. Without the option, the price does not vary by hour.

How do I lower my BC Hydro bill?

Start with heating and hot water, then check whether a different rate plan or a rebate fits your home. BC Hydro's energy-saving tips cover heating and cooling, lighting, laundry, kitchen appliances, electronics and hot water, and simple steps like sealing drafts and switching to LED bulbs add up.

BC Hydro also offers optional time-of-day pricing and a flat rate, and the rate estimator in MyHydro shows whether you would save. For heat pump and other upgrade rebates, check Better Homes BC, since offers open and close during the year.

Garbage, sewer and city bills

What is the average monthly cost of utility bills in BC?

No official B.C.-wide average was available, so the best guide is what Vernon actually charges. As of January 1, 2026, the City of Vernon's residential rates include a sewer base fee of $61.06 per quarter, garbage at $27.59 per quarter and organics at $25.62 per quarter. Together that is $114.27 a quarter, about $38 a month (City of Vernon).

New owners usually pay more at first: until the City has a full first-quarter meter reading, a flat sewer charge of $87.85 per quarter is added. Water rates are set by Greater Vernon Water, and power and gas depend on your home.

What is the garbage fee?

As of January 1, 2026, the City of Vernon charges $27.59 per quarter for each residential garbage cart. That applies to a 120-litre or 240-litre cart. Organics and yard collection is a further $25.62 per quarter per cart, and rates are set by Council bylaw.

Extra garbage bags beyond your cart need a $2.50 Tag-a-Bag sticker, sold at City Hall and the Recreation Complex. Garbage appears on your quarterly City utility bill, which you can view in a My City account. Rates can change each January, so confirm on the City utilities page.

What is the garbage collection schedule for residential garbage in Vernon, BC?

Residential garbage in Vernon is collected every second week, while organics are collected every week. Put your cart out by 7 a.m. on collection day, about one metre from other objects, with the lid closed. Extra bags need a Tag-a-Bag sticker, and diapers and pet waste go in the garbage rather than the organics cart.

Your collection day depends on your address, so check the collection map and schedule on the City's garbage page. For questions, contact Emterra Environmental, the City's collection contractor, at 250-545-4245 or customercare.vernon@emterra.ca (City of Vernon).

Water: who supplies it?

Do you pay for water in BC?

Yes; in Vernon you pay for water through a utility bill, though the rates are set under a regional bylaw rather than by the City alone. The City of Vernon lists water among the services it provides and lets you view and pay your utility bill online through a My City account. Greater Vernon Water, run by the Regional District of North Okanagan, says each jurisdiction bills customers inside its own boundaries, sets rates in Bylaw No. 3015, 2024, and requires water meters on all services.

Your property tax is separate. See the City utilities page or the GVW page.

Where does Vernon get its water?

Most of Vernon's drinking water comes from Kalamalka Lake and Duteau Creek, treated and delivered by Greater Vernon Water. Kalamalka Lake water is treated at the Mission Hill plant with ultraviolet light and chlorine, while Duteau Creek has its own treatment plant. GVW supplies about 56,000 people in Vernon, Coldstream and nearby electoral areas.

The Regional District of North Okanagan manages the sources, and operations are contracted to the City of Vernon and the District of Coldstream. During the 2026 drought, a deep well supplemented supply, and on October 26, 2026 parts of Lavington and Coldstream returned to Duteau Creek water, so sources can shift. See RDNO.

Can I drink tap water in Vernon?

Generally yes: Greater Vernon Water treats its supply and tests it under an Interior Health-approved monitoring plan, but advisories sometimes apply to specific streets. The plan targets zero E. coli and fecal coliform, confirmed by sampling, and Kalamalka Lake water gets ultraviolet and chlorine treatment.

In October 2026 the Regional District listed water quality advisories for a few addresses, such as parts of 39 Street and 30 Avenue, not the whole city. Check the GVW page for any notice covering your address. If you have health concerns, ask Interior Health.

Water restrictions

Restrictions are set by Greater Vernon Water and can change, so check the live page before you water.

Why is Vernon, BC on water restrictions?

Vernon is on water restrictions because of drought: low snowpack and below-normal rain and snow left reservoirs and Kalamalka Lake short of normal. Greater Vernon Water brought in Stage 3 on June 4, 2026, with a target of about a 50% cut in community water use. A July 2026 update said demand was exceeding inflows to storage and Kalamalka Lake was below average and below provincial targets (RDNO memo).

Even in normal years, the Regional District keeps basic watering restrictions in place year-round, because the climate is dry and supply is limited.

Are there water restrictions in Vernon for 2026?

Yes: in late October 2026, the Regional District still listed Stage 3 watering restrictions as in effect for all Greater Vernon Water customers, and some restrictions apply year-round. Stage 3 began on June 4, 2026 because of drought and low reservoirs, and was last updated on August 7, 2026. Even outside drought stages, outdoor lawn and garden watering is allowed only between 7 p.m. and 10 a.m., unless you hand-water with a can or a hose with a shut-off nozzle.

Rules can change at short notice, so check the current restrictions page and the RDNO conservation page before you water.

What are stage 3 water restrictions in Vernon, BC?

Stage 3 is Greater Vernon Water's drought level of restrictions, aimed at cutting overall water use by about 50%. Under the rules as updated on August 7, 2026, lawn watering is banned, and so is filling pools, hot tubs, ponds and water features, though pools can be topped up by about 1% a week. Food gardens and potted plants can be watered daily, and fruit trees and shrubs two days a week, from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m., by drip, micro-jet or hand only. Agricultural users must cut use by 70%.

Enforcement starts with a warning, then fines of $100 and $400. Check the current rules before you water.

Related guides

• Moving to B.C.: the checklist
• Cost of living in Vernon, compared
• What it's like to live in Vernon
• Vernon neighbourhoods: where to start

Updated October 28, 2026. Published by Sean Phillips, REALTOR®, Coldwell Banker Executives Realty. General information from official sources, not legal, tax, immigration or medical advice.

Thinking about the move?

Start with Sarah, Sean's AI assistant, any time of day for quick answers about neighbourhoods, listings and the area. When you're ready for real advice on where to buy, pricing or timing, book a free 10-minute Zoom chat with Sean.

How it works, in under a minute: Sarah answers your first questions any time, and Sean takes over when you're ready for advice.

Text Sean 236-599-5898Book a Zoom chat with Sean