The Municipally-Operated Electrical Utilities of Western Canada

The paper discusses a number of public utilities in various cities in Western Canada where practically all public utilities are municipally owned and operated. The characteristics of these cities are reviewed and a brief outline of equipments of the various plants is given. The costs and methods of financing these utilities are discussed at considerable length and the charges for various services are summarized. While the paper is not to be regarded as an endorsement of public ownership, the author finds that these utilities on the whole have been conservatively managed and have been practically free from political influence.