Waste disposal fees to increase in Columbia Shuswap Regional District
Dec 10, 2023 | 5:30 PM
Liam Verster-Vernon Matters
SALMON ARM, B.C. — Disposing of waste and landfills will be increasing in the spring.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) announced that tipping fees would increase in May 2024, to help cover the costs of managing garbage and operating the landfill and transfer station operations.
Solid waste disposal is operated based primarily on a user-pay principle, and tipping fees have not been increased since 2017.
“Costs are going up due to inflation and increasing waste management regulations. It quickly became evident during the initial phases of our Solid Waste Management Plan Review that our costs were outpacing revenue and we needed to do something right away,” Ben Van Nostrand, CSRD’s Acting General Manager of Environmental and Utility Services, said. “We have worked to try and keep the rate change reasonable, while being mindful of the need to cover our costs.”
The base rate will increase from $80 per tonne to $90 per tonne at scaled landfills and transfer stations. Unscaled sites will see rates for larger loads increase from $12/m3 to $15/m3.
Mixed load waste disposal fees will increase from $240 to $270 per tonne, which aligns with the policy of providing lower disposal fees to encourage recycling.
Disposal of smaller loads of residential yard waste will remain fee.
The CSRD noted the rates are in line with other area municipalities.
The Board will also be considering a new general tax to fun landfill closure and post-closure requirements, with a taxation proposal to be presented during budget deliberations in the new year.
