New Home Utilities Checklist for Alberta

Everything to set up when you move into a home in Alberta, in order: energy, water, safety numbers and your first bills. Print it or save it to your phone.

Print this checklist Find your utility companies

2 to 3 weeks before you move

Find your wires company and gas company for the new address (table for 42 communities).
Choose an electricity and natural gas plan. Fixed keeps the same energy price for the term; variable follows the market monthly. Doing nothing puts you on the default rate.
Sign up with your move-in date as the start date. Have the address, and the site IDs if you have them (13 digits electricity, 10 digits gas).
Book water, sewer and garbage with the town or city utilities office.
Moving out of a home in Alberta? Tell your current retailer your move-out date.

Move-in day

Photograph the electricity meter and the gas meter, with the date.
Find the main electrical panel and the gas shut-off valve.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
Check the furnace runs and note the filter size.

First week

Save the outage number for your wires company and the emergency number for your gas company.
Set the thermostat to about 17°C at night and when you are away, about 20°C when you are home (Natural Resources Canada guidance).
Set up online access to your energy account and your municipal utility account.
Plug block heaters into a timer before the first cold snap (what a block heater costs to run).

First bills

Electricity and gas: check the site ID, service address and start date.
Read the delivery line: it is set by your wires company and the same with any retailer (2026 delivery charges by area).
Municipal bill: check the account is in your name.
Keep the first bills: they show your usage for future plan choices.

Keep these numbers

Outage and gas emergency numbers
Utility	Phone
FortisAlberta (outages)	310-WIRE (9473)
ATCO Electric (outages)	1-800-668-5506
Calgary wires (outages)	403-514-6100
Edmonton wires (outages)	780-412-4500
Red Deer Electric Light & Power (outages)	403-342-8111
ATCO Gas (gas emergencies)	1-800-511-3447
Apex Utilities (gas emergencies)	1-866-222-2068
Emergency	911

Bright Fire Energy is a trade name of Sponsor Energy Inc. Sponsor Energy is a licensed retailer of electricity (Licence #343969) and natural gas (Licence #343970) in the Province of Alberta. Questions? (780) 779-7188, brightfire.ca.

Checklist FAQ

What utilities do I need to set up in a new home in Alberta?

Electricity and natural gas (with a retailer you choose), water, sewer and garbage (with your municipality), plus internet and home insurance. Your wires and gas companies deliver energy whichever retailer you pick.

When should I set up utilities before moving?

As soon as you know your address and move-in date. You can sign up with Bright Fire in as little as 4 minutes, and the switch itself can take up to 10 to 30 days, so earlier is better.

Why photograph the meters on move-in day?

A dated photo of each meter shows the reading when the home became yours, which helps if the first bill starts from the wrong reading.

Can I share this checklist?

Yes. Property managers, realtors and builders are welcome to print it or link to it for their clients.

Ready to set up power and gas?

See fixed and variable plans, or run the free Bill Check on your expected usage.

See gas and electricity rates Run the free Bill Check

Ready now? Sign up in as little as 4 minutes; the switch itself can take up to 10 to 30 days. Already with us for electricity? Add natural gas on the same sign-up. Questions? Call (780) 779-7188.