City urges residents to renew green cart subscription before $20 price hike

The cost of Saskatoon's compost recycling program is expected to go up this spring, but there's still time to sign up at 2017 rates.

Starting May 1, the green cart fee will increase $20 to $75 from $55 per year. However, anyone who renews by April 30 will still be able to subscribe at the lower rate.

"It allows us to start to design the routes for the trucks and get bins delivered in a timely manner," said Russ Munro, director of water and waste stream for the City of Saskatoon.

The price increase in the green cart program was first announced in the 2017 budget. Munro said the program fees hadn't been raised in a number of years, and the green bin program is still being subsidized outside of the cost generated by fees.

City councillors have said a mandatory, city-wide composting program will be coming to Saskatoon, although a firm timeline has not been set. The composting program is part of a City of Saskatoon goal to reduce emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

The city doesn't believe the price hike will decrease the number of people signed up to the program. As of December, the program had 7,500 subscribers, an increase of 1,600from last year.

There is no cap on the program. The city will begin collecting bins May 3.