Yorkton Council unanimously passed a bylaw at its regular meeting last Monday which officially pushes sanitary landfill fees higher in the city.
"On March 8, 2010, City Council approved the rate structure at the sanitary landfill which incorporated the implementation of the scale system and most tipping fees charged by weight rather than volume method. At that time, commercial refuse increased from $4/tonne to $9/tonne. This commercial rate is well below the cities average of $36/tonne. As stated in the 2011 budget presentation, residential refuse was proposed to increase to $22/tonne and commercial refuse to an equivalent rate of $22/tonne," detailed material circulated material circulated to Council.
The increases are needed in large part to help the City put money aside for future development at the landfill.
"Fee increases are required to offset the current and long term operational costs of the landfill. One noticeable increase is the excavation of a pit. In previous years, one pit would last two years. However, recent pit excavations are estimated to annually cost in excess of $100,000. The purchase of a landfill compactor at an estimated cost of $400,000 to $500,000 is being explored. This specialized equipment would increase the overall waste compaction and thus reduce the annual landfill space required. The estimated cost to operate and maintain this unit would increase tipping fees by an additional $5 per tonne," stated the report.
"This proposed fee structure allows one dollar per tonne to be placed into reserves to be used for the landfill expansion. This five per cent increase in rates, only attributes $18,000 to $20,000 of revenues. The expansion, estimated to take place within the next six years, is estimated at $6 to $8 million dollars."
