For Immediate Release March 20th, 2013
New recycling fee on residential utility bills The cost of recycling is on the rise, and residents of the City of North Battleford are not exempt. A $6.00 per month charge has been added to residential utility bills. Director of Finance, Matthew Hartney, points out that up until now, residents were not being charged for the cost of operating North Battleford’s three drop-off recycling depots. “It will cost the City approximately $390,000.00 in 2013 to keep those recycling depots operating. City Council is demonstrating the cost of maintaining the convenience of and the operations of the drop-off recycling locations.” The recycling depots are located at 12th Avenue and 97th Street; in the north parking lot of the Frontier Mall; and on the north side of the North Battleford Kinsmen Band Hall (parking lot). The new $6.00 recycling fee is on par with other Saskatchewan communities, and garbage rates remain the same at $9.00 per month. “A total of $15.00 per month for garbage and recycling is not bad when you consider everything thrown away or recycled in a single household over the course of 30 days,” said Hartney. “It is our hope residents will use the depots so the environmental and health benefits of recycling outweigh the costs.” City Council discussed and approved the new $6.00 recycling fee during 2013 Budget deliberations last month. The budget document is available here: http://www.cityofnb.ca/city_government/finance.html (see breakdown and comparison charts on next page) For more information: Matthew Hartney, Director of Finance, 306-445-1716 Mike Halstead, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, 306-445-1710
Background / reasons behind the $6.00 recycling fee
The cost of operating the recycling depots is $390,000.00 in 2013. The Loraas Environmental Services contract to manage the depots is increasing to $355,000.00 in 2013. Recycling fee of $6.00 per month will be shown on the residential utility bill to pay for the recycling depots. No increase to residential garbage pick-up fee in 2013 -- remains at $9.00 per month.
2013 Budget reference http://www.cityofnb.ca/city_government/finance.html page 13 page 51 page 27 and 51
page 27 and 51