Toronto council approves water rate, garbage bin fee increase

The average homeowner should expect to pay $72 more on their 2016 water bill, 3 per cent increase for all garbage bin sizes.

Thestar.com
Dec. 9, 2015
By Jennifer Pagliaro

Toronto’s water rates and fees for all garbage bins will increase in 2016, after council approved those budgets Wednesday night.

While water rates will rise by 8 per cent, garbage bin fees will increase 3 per cent for all sizes, consistent with increases in previous years.

On the water bill, the average homeowner using 280 cubic metres per year should expect to pay an additional $72 in 2016. That average homeowner paid $882 in 2015.

For garbage bins, the 3 per cent increase means the total fees for a single-family home in 2016 will be: $244.77 for small bins; $297.14 for medium; $403.55 for large; and $468.08 for extra-large.

Budget chief Councillor Gary Crawford urged his colleagues to support the budgets put forward by committee, saying the increases go to pay for needed improvements to those services. Though several councillors tried last-minute motions, the first budgets of Mayor John Tory’s term were largely passed with few fights and almost no last-minute amendments.

“We’re investing in our priorities with this budget,” Crawford said. “We’re putting money into fixing aging infrastructure, protecting public health and making much-needed capital improvements all across the city.”

Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker narrowly lost a push to further raise fees for residents creating the most waste, those homeowners with extra-large bins. His motion to add an additional $10 for the largest bin - to be put towards solid waste programs, after concerns were raised that some residents aren’t properly separating their trash - failed by a 15-18 vote.

City staff had reported earlier this fall on the fact that homeowners with extra-large bins were doing a bad job of diverting their recyclables from landfill. On average, 77 per cent of the content of such bins was recyclable or compostable. The figures were dramatically lower for people using the smaller sizes, with only 33 to 48 per cent of the material not actually being garbage.

Councillor Mike Layton backed the approved increase in garbage bin fees, calling them a “cash incentive” for residents to move to a smaller bin and improve their sorting - which would save the city money through better waste diversion.

Layton’s own attempted changes to the water budget - a similar move he has attempted in years past - to force increased costs for industrial polluters, also failed in a 17-22 vote.

“By encouraging polluters and giving them a subsidy to pollute, what we’re actually doing is the exact opposite of what we should be doing,” he said, calling out Tory for saying he planned to do his part to fight climate change after returning from recent talks in Paris. “What you should be doing is rewarding good behaviour.”

Council also approved the Toronto Parking Authority budget, the third so-called “rate-supported” item, with little debate Wednesday night.

The larger challenge ahead for council, of settling the operating and capital budgets, launches next week ahead of final approval in February.