The Town of Battleford has approved a new policy to address the needs of properties that require extra garbage bins in the community.
The town had previously approved switching over to a biweekly garbage pickup regime, but that doesn’t work for everyone. It was noted at the meeting there were some properties that had larger volumes of garbage such as group homes, seniors care homes, day care and other registered home-based businesses.
At Monday’s meeting, and after considerable discussion, council decided in favour of the option that would allow those businesses as well as families to be able to obtain the extra bins.
The way it would work is that users pay for the bins, which cost $134.87 per bin, and also pay a reduced environmental levy of $24 per quarter per bin. There is no refund if the bin is returned.
The levy was needed, said Mayor Ames Leslie – otherwise the public would be buying “1,700 extra cans,” and he worried that would mean more stress on the garbage pickup.
“There has to be some form of decentivization,” said Leslie.
Another option had been to set the levy at $45 per quarter – in line with the rate one group home uses – while a third would have been provided the bins without charge while setting the levy at $90 per quarter, but the first option was the one agreed to and passed by council.
