A franchise fee is a municipal charge collected through your utility bill. You may see a local charge labelled a local access fee. Check the calculation for your own municipality and delivery utility.
How does FortisAlberta calculate the fee?
A rider is a separate adjustment to the utility’s charges.
In the FortisAlberta area, each municipality's franchise fee is a percentage added to the delivery tariff (distribution and transmission charges, not riders) for every home in the municipality. FortisAlberta bills it to your retailer and pays it to the municipality. (from 1 May 2026) [source]
This method describes the FortisAlberta area. Do not use it to calculate a fee for another delivery utility.
How does ATCO Gas calculate the fee?
In the communities listed on ATCO Gas North's Rider A, the municipal franchise fee is a percentage added to ATCO Gas North's charges, including its other riders. (from 1 October 2026) [source]
On ATCO Gas charges before GST, Edmonton’s fee is 35% (from 1 January 2019) [source]. Sherwood Park’s fee is 22% (from 1 July 2010) [source].
These percentages apply to the ATCO Gas charges described in the facts, not the retailer’s gas energy price.
Will a different retailer change this fee?
The municipal fee is the same whichever retailer you choose for the same address, use and billing period. Changing retailers does not change your municipality or delivery network.
How do I check a local access fee?
See the fee in every Alberta municipality, with what it adds to a typical month.
Find the municipality and delivery utility on your bill. Ask the retailer which charges the fee applies to and which dated schedule it used.
For a Calgary local access fee, ask for the calculation for that address. The FortisAlberta and ATCO Gas North facts here are not a Calgary fee schedule.
Use our gas bill guide to separate energy, delivery and municipal charges.
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Questions people ask
What is a franchise fee on an Alberta energy bill?
It is a municipal charge collected through the utility bill. The calculation depends on your municipality and delivery utility.
Will switching retailers remove the franchise fee?
No. For the same address, use and billing period, the municipal fee applies whichever retailer you choose.
What are ATCO Gas franchise fees?
They are municipal charges calculated on ATCO Gas charges, including other riders. The percentage depends on the community.
Is Calgary local access the same calculation as a FortisAlberta fee?
Do not assume so. Check the delivery utility and municipality on your bill, then ask your retailer for the calculation.
Sources
Written by the BillRobin team. Updated .
Show the 2 sources
https://billrobin.com/ca/en/alberta/energy/local-access-and-franchise-fees?utm_medium=share&utm_source=page
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