At Tuesday’s meeting, Saskatoon Council’s Standing Policy Committee on Environment, Utilities, and Corporate Services will hear details on a plan that intends to give people a choice on what they pay for garbage collection.

City Administration will present the plan, which will shift the fee for black cart garbage collection from an inclusion in their property tax to an additional monthly utility fee. Residents will also have a choice of a small, medium, or large black cart to accommodate the amount of trash they produce. Director of Water and Waste Operations Brendan Lemke says this project comes after the successful launch of the green cart program.

According to the City, there has been a 30 per cent reduction in garbage in black carts in the last three months of said green cart program, therefor, the City will start offering different sizes of carts for respective prices. A small bin equates to a monthly fee of nearly $4, a medium bin is just over $7, and a large bin is roughly $10.60.  The largest cart at 360 litres is the same size as the cart Saskatoon residents already have.

He adds that until bin swaps are completed in January, there will be a fixed monthly utility rate of $9.92 charged to all residents receiving garbage collection service. Until the end of 2024, fees will not be charged for families who wish to exchange their cart for a different size. In 2025, a $30 fee will be introduced for that.

If the recommendation is approved, it will be formally approved at the City Council meeting on September 27th. The new program is expected to commence in January.