Regina city council to consider how residents pay for trio of curbside waste services

By next fall garbage pickup in Regina may be taken off property taxes and moved to a user-pay model.

On Wednesday Regina city council's executive committee will look at four pay options for garbage, recycling and a new food and yard waste removal service.

Right now, recycling fees show up on utility bills, while regular garbage collection falls under property taxes. 

Two options are a combination of user fees and property taxes.  A third option has all three services covered by property taxes.  And the fourth option, which is being recommended by the committee, is that user fees fund all three services.

Kurtis Doney, the city's director of water waste environment, says the changes are about reducing waste and prolonging the life of the city's landfill.

"The city's waste diversion rate has remained static at about 20 per cent since 2015," Doney said.

"We know implementing the food and yard waste service in 2023 will help us move closer to the [city's] 65 per cent goal of waste diversion."

Doney says their research shows cities with user fees have seen better results in diverting waste from landfills.

"It has the potential to increase waste diversion and to increase transparency," he said.

Bills will rise

However, no matter which option is selected, residents will pay more because of the new yard waste pickup.

Currently, Regina has brown carts and blue carts, and next fall there will be green carts for food and yard waste.

If the user-fee model is approved, residents will select from two garbage cart sizes: 360 litres (currently in use) or a less expensive 240-litre cart.  

"The food in yard waste will be turned into a beneficial product," Doney said. "We're just currently working through a public procurement process and selecting a processor. 

"We expect it will be something like compost, but those details are still being worked out, and we are hopeful that residents will be able to access that in the future to use in their own gardens."

Doney says the city has received positive feedback following a pilot food-and-yard waste program.

"It was very easy [to use]," he said. "Everything that's on your plate goes into the food-and-yard waste green bin along with any yard waste."

If the executive council passes the proposal, it will go to city council next week.

The new green cart will come next fall and the new pay model will begin in January, 2024.

Starting in 2024 Saskatoon households will be able to choose from three sizes of garbage cart: 360-litre carts currently in use, with 240-litre and 180-litre options available at a reduced fee.

At that time garbage, food and yard waste and recycling services will all be charged as a utility.

Saskatoon's city administration estimates the program will cost $4.5 million to cover the plan's costs.