The City of Red Deer has introduced new ways of interacting and doing business online. The service, called ‘MyCity’, allows residents and business and property owners to pay bills, view accounts and access City of Red Deer information from anywhere.

“One of City council’s strategic principles is to build citizen friendly local government. The launch of MyCity for Red Deerians is a key way we are making local government more accessible and user-friendly for our public,” said Mayor Tara Veer. “With features like renewing a business license and scheduling building inspections online, MyCity not only fulfills our commitment to being a citizen friendly government, but to being a business-friendly City as well.

“The City exists to serve our citizens and we know that time is our public’s most sought after resource. MyCity acknowledges that our citizens don’t always have the time during a regular schedule work day to come to City Hall to work with us. Launching MyCity allows the public to work with the City from wherever they are, whatever they are doing and at anytime of the day.”

MyCity is a new online service where residents and business and property owners can access information about their City of Red Deer accounts including utilities, business licenses, dog licenses and tax information. Residents can also view permits and applications and schedule inspections online 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

“We encourage all residents to visit MyCity and create a profile,” said Michael Williston, enterprise business applications project manager. “And if you create a profile before March 6th, you will be entered to win a $100 credit on your next City of Red Deer Utility bill. If you choose electronic billing for your utility bill, you will be entered into a second draw for a tablet.”

Residents can visit MyCity on the City’s web site and start by creating a profile. The information collected on the registration form is safe and secure, and will help officials link residents with their information. Once the form is submitted, residents are sent a confirmation email to confirm your email address. Then they will be ready to use MyCity. City accounts can be added to a profile using account numbers and access codes found at the top of licenses, tax notices, permits, downtown parkade bills or utility bills. A step by step guide and more information can be found at www.reddeer.ca/mycity.

Meanwhile, Veer said she encourages Red Deerians to sign up.

“Above all our citizens have many interactions with the City – we recognize that people’s time is at a premium and it’s imperative that they have a global view of what their interactions with the City are. From a user perspective, it’s in their interest in terms of time and consolidation perspective,” she said. “From the broader community perspective, there’s economic objectives that are fulfilled – the more citizens that sign up and use online resources, the more financially efficient we can be in City operations – it helps reduce mailing and paper costs. It also reduces consumption from an environmental perspective.”

efawcett@reddeerexpress.com