Garbage collection in Edmonton could soon cost more

Homeowners in Edmonton could be paying more for garbage collection over the next four years with city staff recommending a rate increase of 2.5 per cent ayear four years.

The proposed increase translates to $1.15 more amonth for house owners, each yearfrom2019 to 2022, which means rates would be around$5 a month more at the end of the four years.

Multi-unit customers would pay $.75 more.

The increases, introducedat city council's utility committee meeting Friday will be debated by city council as a whole onNov. 27.

"I think a 2.5-per-cent increase is reasonable except we're asking people to pay a little more for a waste system that they thought they were paying for previously," Coun. Michael Walters said.

The rate hikes will go towards diverting more household garbage from the landfill, he said.

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The committee was told only 60 per cent of household waste is currently being diverted, with a goal of 80 per cent by 2020.

The city plans to roll out a green-bin and yard-waste program that would see homeowners separate grass clippings, and organics.

"Given what we're going to have to do in terms of capital investment in this, I'm actually fairly impressed that we're sitting at 2.5 per cent in those years," said Coun. Ben Henderson.

Walters suggested there may be ways for waste management to find savings within the department to reduce the hikes.

Half of the waste collection in Edmonton is done by city employees whilethe other half is contracted out to private companies.

Walters suggested it may be more cost effective for more of the service to be contracted out.

The system was set up in this way to keep costs in check, he said.

"Right now this private-versus-public-holding-each-other-in-check assumptionis a little old school in my view and we should look at it again," Walters said.

Henderson insisted the system has worked well at keeping both sides honest.

"They're actually pretty close to the same cost which is ideally what you want it to be," he said.

Walters said he will do his own researchbefore deciding to asking city staff to look further into contracting out.