Despite its relative small size, the city of Red Deer has a diversity of energy companies<\/a> comparable to those available in Calgary<\/a> and Edmonton<\/a>. Some of the most popular energy retailers include:<\/p>\n Red Deer\u2019s Rate of Last Resort (ROLR) provider<\/a> of electric power is ENMAX Energy<\/a>, while Direct Energy acts as the area\u2019s retailer of natural gas.<\/p>\n Red Deer is the third most populous city in the province of Alberta, with a population of just under 100,000 residents.<\/p>\n Initially founded in the 1880s as a convenient trading post between Calgary and Edmonton, the settlement grew slowly but steadily over the next several decades, thanks to its trade-based economy. This process accelerated rapidly between 1907 and 1911 with the introduction of several railway systems, including the Canadian Northern and Alberta Central Railways. Between the turn of the century and 1913, its population swelled from 343 to 2,800 residents.<\/p>\n Red Deer was caught up in the post-WWII oil and natural gas boom; its fortunes once again shaped by the larger, bracketing cities of Calgary and Edmonton. It was then that Red Deer truly transformed into city it is today. Red Deer still has active oil fields, but in the wake of petroleum price crises of the 1970s and ’80s, the city\u2019s economy has expanded into related fields. It is now a major site of oil and natural gas extraction, and the manufacture of petroleum-based polyethylene and vinyl products \u2014 as is the case with Edmonton.<\/p>\n In addition to manufacturing, Red Deer produces a number of other natural resources, including coal, timber and sulphur. Thanks to the increasingly diverse nature of the city\u2019s economy, Red Deer\u2019s population increased 20 percent between 2004 and 2011, and has one of the highest average incomes of any city in the country.<\/p>\n In Red Deer, the drinking water comes from the Red Deer River as the primary lifeline, originated in the Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park. It\u2019s a large path where the river flows across southern Alberta for 724 km, touching 18 municipal districts and 55 urban centres according to the City\u2019s website<\/a>. Regarding quality, all the City’s drinking water is cleaned following the provincial and federal standards<\/a> at the Red Deer Water Treatment Plant, \u00a0<\/strong>fully equipped with the most advanced technology to ensure water is filtered and tested before distribution and consumption.<\/p>\n On the water billing side, to improve the accuracy, water meters<\/a> have been replaced in homes and businesses with new ones since 2014, with new Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) to provide reliability and reduce the need for estimating water use. If the house still has an old meter, the City asks to call Utility Services at 403-342-8750<\/a>\u00a0to schedule a meter replacement.<\/p>\n Unlike some cities in Canada that use third-party billing agencies, Red Deer manages everything, from the water treatment to the billing process, besides offering rebate<\/a> programs, such as:<\/p>\n If you are moving into a new home or relocating within the city, you can easily set up, close, or transfer your account through the\u00a0City\u2019s online utility services<\/a>. To ensure your water service starts without any trouble and your billing is accurate<\/a>, it is important to notify the City in advance, informing your address and updated additional information such as the move-in date.<\/p>\n If you are renting a place, it\u2019s always a good idea to double-check with your landlord or property management company to see if the water and waste utility account is already established in their name or if you are responsible for setting it up as part of your lease agreement (less common).<\/p>\n City of Red Deer Customer Information<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
History of Electricity and Natural Gas in Red Deer<\/h2>\n
What About Water<\/h3>\n
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How to Set up Water\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nThe City of Red Deer
\n403-342-8203<\/a><\/li>\n
\n<\/strong>The City of Red Deer
\n403-342-8750<\/a><\/li>\n