Saskatoon city council ups cost of green cart, recycling programs

Saskatoon city councillors have voted to increase the subscription fees for the city's green cart program.

Ward 9 councillor Bev Dubois called for the increase Tuesday — the second day of talks on the 2020 budget at city hall — citing a desire to reduce the amount the program is subsidized by general taxpayers and bring it closer to full cost recovery.

Dubois was supported by councillors Ann Iwanchuk, Zach Jeffries, Troy Davies, Randy Donauer and Cynthia Block.

Mayor Charlie Clark and councillors Hilary Gough, Mairin Loewen and Sarina Gersher were opposed. Darren Hill was absent for that vote.

The early bird subscription fee will increase to $65 from a current fee of $55. The early bird fee is available up to April 30 each year.

The late registration fee (effective any time after April 30) will also increase, to $85 from $75.

The green cart program is an optional program that accepts residents' yard and food waste. 

It currently has about 10,000 subscribers, a number that is growing every year, according to city officials. 

The green cart program will eventually be replaced by the city's curbside organics program, which is set to launch in 2023.

A separate motion from Dubois that would have effectively delayed the organics program's launch to 2026 was defeated. 

Recycling fees

Dubois was the only councillor to vote against increasing the monthly recycling fees for single-family homes to $7.38 from $5.65. She said the price is going up even as items are being removed from the list of items allowed in blue bins.

All of council voted unanimously to increase the monthly recycling fee for multi-unit buildings to $3.71 from $3.11.