City residents may be considering downsizing their garbage bins as Toronto’s proposed 2015 budget is calling for price hikes in the bins.
The city has recommended a 3 per cent increase in solid waste rates starting April 1. The city’s budget committee has also recommended increasing the prices of garbage bins by 60 per cent. This would mean a Toronto resident with an extra large bin can expect to pay almost $345 — a $128 jump from the original $217.
“Part of what this is about is, as what Councillor Crawford said, is encouraging people to produce less waste,” Mayor John Tory said in a media scrum on Tuesday. “We’re well behind on the target we set…. We have to do whatever we can in terms education and other things to incent people to move in the right direction.”
City management also hopes that the rate increase would encourage residents to lower their waste production and to even consider downsizing. The report found that many Torontonians continue to improperly handle waste. Too many recycling, compost and electronic materials are not put into the appropriate bins.
“Of course I don’t want the prices to go up,” Cao, a Toronto resident, said. “People aren’t going to suddenly throw out less garbage. I’m going to continue throwing out the same amount as usual.”
In a report released by the city, Toronto expects the hike in solid waste rates to bring in around $6 million in revenue to “ensure long term sustainability” of solid waste management services.
The city currently subsidizes part of the fees. It hopes residents will eventually pay the full cost for garbage collection.