MOOSE JAW — City council has officially approved updates to the waste management bylaw that will increase landfill rates this year,
During its March 10 regular meeting, council gave three unanimous readings to the waste management bylaw amendment, which will increase utility rates effective Tuesday, April 1.
This means the standard waste cost per tonne will be $105 for residents and $120 for non-residents.
Furthermore, the standard waste cost for half-ton or small vehicles will be $14 for residents and $21 for non-residents, while special-handled wastes — such as asbestos and decontaminated medical waste — will be $350 flat fee and $105 per tonne for residents and $400 flat fee and $120 per tonne for non-residents.
There will also be other changes, based on the decisions council made during budget.
The landfill’s current summer hours are 7 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Sundays. In the winter, the hours are 7 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Sundays.
However, the new summer hours will be 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. In the winter, the hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Meanwhile, with waste collection, residential recycling fees are increasing to $5.54 per month from $5.44 per month, while the residential waste collection rate will increase to $31.80 from $30.87.
Council also approved the public works and utilities (PWU) branch’s request to spend $525,000 to purchase a roll-off bin truck, four roll-off bins and a crew truck.
Besides the current landfill, the branch will use this new equipment at the future solid waste management venue after that site — once selected and built — becomes operational.
Until then, however, the municipality will close the active garbage face to the public and implement a drop-off system, where users deposit their waste in the bins and landfill crews haul the materials to the active face and dump them, the report said. This will “improve safety and allow operators to provide focused, controlled lifts of waste.”
Another change city hall is making includes staffing the High Street recycling depot with full-time supervision from April to October and part-time supervision from November to March, the report said. Further, PWU may install fencing around the depot, which would cost $10,000.
Similarly, the branch will add a second recycling/waste diversion depot at the landfill, which would cost $10,000 per month or $120,000 annually in contractual services.
Crews will add signs at the High Street West recycling depot to inform users about the landfill’s recycling depot, its compost bins, and the materials accepted, the report added. The municipality will also include SARCAN in its waste diversion strategy; that entity now accepts flexible plastic, foam packaging and non-deposit glass.
During the March 10 council meeting, city administration said it was working on a communications plan to inform landfill customers about the forthcoming changes and when they would happen, while it planned to implement that communications plan “very soon.”
Meanwhile, Coun. Jamey Logan said he hoped that before administration purchased the additional roll-off bins and truck, it would consider contacting companies to see what they would charge to manage the on-site garbage bins and haul the waste up the landfill face.
“We did have a discussion in the past and we will look into that option,” replied city manager Maryse Carmichael.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, March 24.
