A final utility bill is the last statement issued on a water or utility account when a property is sold or the account holder moves out. It covers consumption up to a final reading or a set termination date, not the next occupant’s usage. In Central Huron (Ontario), it covers water use from the last regular meter reading to the final reading on the closing date. In Canmore (Alberta), the account stays open until the termination request is processed and the final bill is paid in full.
What a final utility bill covers
The two municipal sources tie the bill to different events. Central Huron builds it around a final meter reading taken on the legal closing date. Canmore builds it around a termination request that gives the date of sale. In both cases, the dates set the amount owed.
Central Huron: reading-based billing
The Utilities Clerk must be contacted before the move. Requests can be made through the online form, by phone, or through the contact form. The clerk asks for the property address or account number, the legal closing date, the lawyer’s name and phone number, and a forwarding address. The final bill is mailed to that forwarding address, so it should be confirmed before the closing date.
Canmore: termination-based billing
When a property is sold, the owner or the owner’s lawyer must request a final utility bill through the online Tax and Utilities Termination Form, stating the date of sale. If the request arrives after the sale date, the account is finalized on the date the Town receives the request, not on the sale date. The account closes only once the final bill is paid in full.
| Item | Central Huron (Ontario) | Canmore (Alberta) |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Municipality of Central Huron, 2026 | Town of Canmore, 2026 |
| Request channel | Online form, phone, or contact form with the Utilities Clerk | Online Tax and Utilities Termination Form |
| Information required | Property address or account number, legal closing date, lawyer’s name and phone number, forwarding address | Date of sale, submitted by the owner or the owner’s lawyer |
| Account finalization date | Final meter reading on the closing date | Date of sale, or the date the Town receives a late request |
| Account closure | Not applicable to this comparison | Closes once the final bill is paid in full |
How to request the final utility bill in Canada
Canadian municipalities handle final utility bills locally, so the procedure depends on where the property is. The two municipalities below are examples only; other municipalities may follow different rules, so check with your own. The two examples below, both from 2026 municipal sources, use different methods: a pre-move request to a clerk in Central Huron (Ontario), and an online form in Canmore (Alberta). In both cases, the request is tied to the sale or closing date, so it should be filed before that date. In Canmore, a request received after the sale date finalizes the account on the day the Town receives it.
Central Huron (Ontario): contact the Utilities Clerk before you move
Contact the Utilities Clerk before you move, and ask for a final meter reading on your legal closing date. You can submit the request through the online form, by phone, or through the contact form. Have the following ready:
- the property address or account number
- the legal closing date
- your lawyer’s name and phone number
- a forwarding address, where the final bill is mailed
The final bill covers water use from the last regular reading to the final reading.
Canmore (Alberta): submit the termination form
When you sell a property, you or your lawyer must request the final utility bill to close the utility account. This is done through the online Tax and Utilities Termination Form, where you enter the date of sale. A request that arrives after the sale date is handled differently: the account is finalized on the date the Town receives the request.
| Element | Central Huron (Ontario) | Canmore (Alberta) |
|---|---|---|
| Request channel | Online form, phone, or contact form | Online Tax and Utilities Termination Form |
| Timing | Before the move, for the legal closing date | On the sale date, or the date the Town receives a late request |
| Details required | Address or account number, closing date, lawyer’s name and phone, forwarding address | Date of sale |
| Final reading or bill | Final meter reading on the closing date; bill mailed to forwarding address | Account closes once the final bill is paid in full |
(Sources: Municipality of Central Huron, 2026; Town of Canmore, 2026.)
When should you notify the utility provider?
The timing depends on the municipality, so confirm the local rule before the move. The two examples below show different timing requirements. In Central Huron (Ontario), you contact the Utilities Clerk before you move to request a final meter reading on your closing date. In Canmore (Alberta), you or your lawyer must request a final utility bill when you sell, and the account is finalized on the date the Town receives the request if that request arrives after the sale date. It closes only once the final bill is paid in full.
| Municipality | Province | Timing | Contact method | Information required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Huron | Ontario | Before you move, for a reading on the closing date | Online form, phone, or contact form | Property address or account number, legal closing date, lawyer’s name and phone number, forwarding address |
| Canmore | Alberta | At the sale, by you or your lawyer | Online Tax and Utilities Termination Form | Date of sale |
What the request must include
In Central Huron, the forwarding address is essential because the final bill is mailed there. It covers water use from the last regular reading to the final reading, so the request should identify the reading date clearly.
In Canmore, the termination form asks for the date of sale. The account is not closed until the final bill is paid in full, so the balance must be settled before the account is treated as closed.
What information to prepare
Gather the account details before you contact the utility, because the two municipalities ask for different items. Central Huron (Ontario) asks for the property address or account number, the legal closing date, the lawyer’s name and phone number, and a forwarding address. Canmore (Alberta) asks for the date of sale, submitted through its online Tax and Utilities Termination Form.
| Item | Requested by | Use in the request |
|---|---|---|
| Property address or account number | Central Huron | Identifies the account to be read |
| Legal closing date | Central Huron | Date on which the final meter reading is taken |
| Lawyer’s name and phone number | Central Huron | Listed as a required field alongside the closing date |
| Forwarding address | Central Huron | Address where the final bill is mailed |
| Date of sale | Canmore | Date from which the account is terminated |
| Tax and Utilities Termination Form | Canmore | Online form used to submit the termination request |
For Central Huron, the final bill covers water use from the last regular reading to the final reading, so it will not match a standard billing cycle. Confirm the forwarding address before you move, because the bill is mailed to that address.
Canmore’s account is closed only after the final bill is paid in full. Plan for that payment, and check whether the balance has been settled before you consider the account closed.
What happens when you sell a property?
In Canmore, the owner or the owner’s lawyer must request termination, and the Town keeps billing if no termination is requested. In Central Huron, you contact the Utilities Clerk before you move. The final charges depend on the municipality’s rules: the closing-date reading in Central Huron, and the sale date (or the date a late request is received) in Canmore. The two municipalities use different rules, so the request needs to go to the local office that serves the property.
In Central Huron (Ontario), you contact the Utilities Clerk before you move. The clerk asks for the property address or account number, the legal closing date, the lawyer’s name and phone number, and a forwarding address. The final reading is taken on the closing date, and the final bill is mailed to the forwarding address. It covers water use from the last regular reading to that final reading (Municipality of Central Huron, 2026).
In Canmore (Alberta), you or your lawyer submit the Tax and Utilities Termination Form online and enter the date of sale (Town of Canmore, 2026). The account is closed once the final bill is paid in full. If the request reaches the Town after the sale date, the account is finalized on the day the Town receives it, so the sale date does not end the account on its own.
| Step | Central Huron (Ontario) | Canmore (Alberta) |
|---|---|---|
| Who makes the request | You, before you move | You or your lawyer |
| Request channel | Online form, phone, or contact form | Online Tax and Utilities Termination Form |
| Date used for final billing | Legal closing date (final reading taken that day) | Sale date entered in the request |
| Late request | Not addressed in the source | Account finalized on the date the Town receives the request |
| Account closure | Final bill mailed to the forwarding address | Closes once the final bill is paid in full |
What to do if the final utility bill does not arrive
Start by confirming that the municipality received your request and has the right details on file. The two municipalities in the source material handle delivery and account closure differently. In Central Huron (Ontario), the final bill is mailed to the forwarding address you gave when you made the request, so check that the address you gave is correct. In Canmore (Alberta), the account stays open until the final bill is paid in full, and the Town keeps billing if no termination was requested.
| Check | Central Huron (Ontario) | Canmore (Alberta) |
|---|---|---|
| Request channel | Online form, phone, or contact form | Online Tax and Utilities Termination Form |
| Information to provide | Property address or account number, legal closing date, lawyer’s name and phone number, forwarding address | Date of sale |
| What closes the account | Final reading on the closing date | Full payment of the final bill |
| Late request | Not covered in the source | Account is finalized on the date the Town receives the request |
Steps to follow:
- Contact the Utilities Clerk with the property address or account number and ask for the status of the final bill.
- Confirm the forwarding address on file in Central Huron, or the sale date recorded in Canmore.
- If you expected a bill for Central Huron, check the period it should cover: water use from the last regular reading to the final reading.
- Keep the request history, including the date and channel used, in case the dates on file are disputed.
Who requests the final bill: seller or person moving out
In both municipalities, the person closing the utility account is the seller or the person moving out, not a tenant named in a lease. The sources do not set out a separate rule for tenants, so this section cannot confirm who is billed for a rental unit. To find out, check which name is on the utility account with the municipality.
| Municipality (source year) | Who requests the final bill | How to request | Account closure rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Huron, Ontario (2026) | You, before you move | Online form, phone, or contact form with the Utilities Clerk | Final meter reading taken on the legal closing date; the final bill is mailed to your forwarding address |
| Canmore, Alberta (2026) | You or your lawyer | Online Tax and Utilities Termination Form, with the sale date | Account closes once the final bill is paid in full |
In Central Huron, the final bill covers water use from the last regular reading to the final reading. Central Huron asks for the property address or account number, the legal closing date, the lawyer’s name and phone number, and a forwarding address.
If no termination is requested in Canmore, the Town keeps billing and collecting water charges under its Utility Bylaw. The account stays open until a request is made, regardless of the sale date.
Frequently asked questions
What period does a final utility bill cover in Central Huron?
It covers water use from the last regular meter reading to the final reading, which is taken on the legal closing date. The bill goes to the forwarding address you give the Utilities Clerk.
Does a Canmore seller have to request the final bill, and what happens if the request is late?
Yes. The owner or the owner’s lawyer must file the online Tax and Utilities Termination Form with the sale date. A request that arrives after that date finalizes the account on the day the Town receives it, and if no request is made, the Town keeps billing under its Utility Bylaw.
What should you do if the final bill does not arrive?
The sources do not cover what to do if a final bill never arrives, so ask the municipality directly. In Central Huron, check that the forwarding address on file is correct before the closing date, because that is where the bill is mailed. In Canmore, the account remains open until the final bill is paid in full.
