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Town garbage costs to jump 56 per cent

Sidney awards new contract to collect trash as well as kitchen and organic waste

A new garbage collection contract in the Town of Sidney will cost taxpayers 56 per cent more when it comes into effect in January, 2014.

Town council voted recently to award a five-year, $1.67 million garbage collection deal to Emterra Group. The contract will include weekly garbage pickup — as per the current practice in Sidney — as well as collection of separated kitchen and other organic waste.

Town staff pointed out only Sidney and View Royal offer weekly garbage pickup, noting most municipalities in the south Island region have gone to biweekly collection.

The new contract, which includes disposal of trash from the Town’s downtown garbage containers, will cost taxpayers around $156 per year, per household. That’s compared with the current contract costing only $100. That, staff stated, will mean residents will see an extra $14 per billing quarter.

Councillor Mervyn Lougher-Goodey asked why the Town is sticking with weekly pickup, when the cost will increase significantly.

Jokingly, Coun. Steve Price said there would be a 100 per cent increase in smell if Sidney didn’t stay with weekly service.

“It’s not just garbage any more,” added Coun. Marilyn Loveless, noting that the Capital Regional District’s Heartland landfill will no longer accept compostables or organics after January, 2015.

That’s the reason for the new contract, she said.

Lougher-Goody also wondered about the lowest bidder being quite a bit under the other two companies. Alpine (Sidney’s current contractor) bid just over $2 million and BFI Canada bid $4.1 million.

Council approved the new garbage contract, with Lougher-Goodey the lone holdout.