Curbside waste collection fees in Langdon will increase from $12.50 per household per month to $20 per month beginning Oct. 2.
Rocky View County (RVC) council approved the new Curbside Collection Program for the hamlet in April, and approved changes to the Master Rates Bylaw to reflect the new fees at the meeting on July 29.
The new program provides a rate for both garbage collection – called the black cart and recycling – called the blue cart. Rates will be $11.18 per household per month and $8.82 per household per month, respectively. The combined rate of $20 is collected on household utility bills.
“We wanted to capture everything we thought was part of the program so that it will be a truly user-pay program,” said RVC Solid Waste and Recycling Manager Cole Nelson.
He said the cost includes levying rates and tipping fees, but also recovery costs for purchasing the carts and future replacement costs.
This will be the second time this year curbside waste collection fees will increase in Langdon.
In February, council approved a 25 per cent fee increase, kicking the rate from $10 to $12.50 per household per month. Administration said the new fee was reflective of actual costs to deliver the service.
Local Councillor Rolly Ashdown said that while he believes the program is a good value for residents, he said he’d like to allow seniors the ability to opt-out of the recycling program by writing a letter to the County.
“The biggest thing that some of the retirees are concerned with is they don’t have enough recycling…. I’m also looking at the fact that there aren’t many seniors in Langdon, so I’d like to give them the opportunity to opt out,” said Ashdown
He added many seniors use the free transfer site in Langdon for their recycling.
“If that takes adjusting the balance, I don’t see that as an unnecessary burden,” he said.
Nelson said the calculations for the program are based on full subscription. He added “overburdening” the transfer site would also have “unnecessary” costs to the County when the County is “offering this program right at the curb.”
Ashdown ran a motion to table the item until later in the day so administration could calculate the cost of allowing seniors to opt out of the recycling program, however, it failed to receive the majority of support from councillors.
Balzac-area Councillor Lois Habberfield said she was in favour of the program.
“I think $20 is a good deal to have this done. I would love to have that in my area for residents. It’s the cost of four Starbucks coffees, it’s not very much and it’s a good service,” she said.
As the largest community in RVC with a population of about 5,000, Langdon is the only hamlet with a County-coordinated curbside collection program.
First and second reading to increase the Curbside Waste Collection rates in Langdon in the Master Rates Bylaw was approved in an 8-1 vote. Ashdown voted opposed.
Third reading was approved unanimously. Ashdown said there’s opportunity for him to present a motion arising to ask council to reconsider the opt-out request at a later date.
