Garbage pickup rates are going up in 2015.
(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
December 08, 2014 - 3:44 PM
KAMLOOPS - In the new year the average customer will see a $15 increase annually for garbage pick-up over the next three years, but it is the only city utility service where increases will occur in 2015.
For single family residential homes an increased cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance of $200,000, combined with an increase of $332,000 in disposal fees at the landfill and lack of funding from Multi Materials B.C. make the increase in fees necessary. Multi-family and commercial collection programs will have similar increases in costs.
The approved increase will have homeowners using the 120 litre bins pay $85, up $7, 180 litre bins up $10 to $113, 245 litre bins up $15 to $140 and those using the 360 litre bins paying $31 more for a total of $220. These rates are in line with similar communities for the two larger containers and in the middle when it comes to the two smaller containers.
Residents are given the option to downsize their container at no charge once a year during Waste Reduction Week in October. Normally the cost is $50 to exchange bins.
Commercial and multi-family bin garbage collection rates will increase an average of $12 annually over the next three years for each residential unit in the complex.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the City of Kamloops are both increasing landfill tipping fees in 2015. Currently the shortfalls in the pickup program are subsidized by the landfill budget but the city is moving towards a user-paid system.
Recycling rates are not increasing in 2015, though the city continues to wait to be included as a collector through Multi Materials B.C., which could result in revenues of approximately $1.2 million.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014