By Dominic Abassi

Garbage rates to rise 66 per cent to pay for switch to automation

Jun 22, 2017 | 6:21 PM

NANAIMO — Garbage rates will spike 66 per cent by 2018 to pay for Nanaimo’s transition to automated collection.

Council has approved new user rates, with the first increase from $102 to $118 per year taking effect July 1. That follows a two per cent hike which took effect at the start of this year.

Staff estimated rates will jump further to $170 per year on January 1, 2018.

During an in-camera meeting in March, council approved the $7.5 million transition to automated collection. User rate increases will pay for new trucks and garbage, recycling and kitchen waste bins.

Phase one of the roll out will come to about 8,000 central Nanaimo homes in the fall, while the rest of the city will move to automated collection in summer 2018.

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Despite only a select number of homes getting the new service, all users will see their bills increase right away.

“It’s just easier and more equitable if we do it city-wide,” manager of financial planning Deborah Duncan said. “We will learn from that implementation so it will benefit everyone.”

Garbage rates will fall back to $130 for years two to five, then further to $120 for years six to 10, Duncan said.

Coun. Gord Fuller, who said he voted against the move to automated collection, told NanaimoNewsNOW it’s a long-term plan.

“Yes it’s initially a big cost but gradually those rates will decrease over the years. The reality is it’s going to save WCB (workers compensation) claims because I believe most of our garbage truck drivers are off at one point or another with injuries,” Fuller said.

Concerns for Fuller included the size of the bins and the truck’s ability to access them, noting the amount of on-street parking in Nanaimo.

Coun. Ian Thorpe said he absolutely supports the decision, citing a more efficient system which will reduce injuries to staff.

“There’s no denying it is a (financial) hit and I understand people’s concern about that. The fact is moving to this automated system is going to cost us some money…We’ve tried to spread that over a couple of years but the initial hit happens quite quickly,” Thorpe said.

Reducing staff injuries related to manual collection was a major selling point of the switch to automation. Duncan reported the additional WorkSafe cost to the City related to garbage collection staff injuries was $156,000 in 2016. According to the core review, injuries cost the City more than $400,000 from 2012 to 2014.

“We have an obligation to make sure the workplace is safe for our workers,” coun. Diane Brennan said. She said she has fielded many questions from people wondering why Nanaimo, like other cities, doesn’t have automated trucks.

Once the new program is completely in place staff said the City will save nearly $1 million per year by taking recycling collection in-house.

The service will be largely the same for residents, although yard waste will now be accepted with organics, which is not the case now. The frequency of collection will not change, utilities manager John Elliot said.

The City will own the carts and will maintain, repair and provide new ones if they are lost, damaged or stolen. The carts will remain with a household if the homeowner moves.

An education campaign will be launched July 1 and you can learn more here.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. The previous version said homeowners would be responsible for paying for damaged, lost or stolen carts. The City has clarified they will own the carts and therefore will maintain or replace carts.