City looks at boost in landfill fees

NEWS/ CITY — Tipping fees at the two City landfills will go up dramatically, and so will fines for illegally dumping garbage on public lands if Kamloops council approves recommendations from staff on Tuesday.

A report from public works and utilities director Jen Fretz says Kamloops has gotten behind in what it charges for disposal at its landfills and needs to boost rates 33 per cent for household garbage and construction waste more than two and a half times.

“It is clear that the tipping fees at Mission Flats landfill are no longer comparable to surrounding areas and could therefore be a target for less expensive waste disposal from customers from out of region,” Fretz says in her report.

MSW, or municipal solid waste, would go from $60 to $80 a tonne, while DLC, or demolition and land clearing waste, from $60 to $160 atonne. That’s what the Thompson-Nicola Regional District charges, and Fretz said the City needs to be consistent with the region.

“Although it is a dramatic increase, it would be on par with the TNRD and neighbouring districts,” Fretz said of the change in the DLC fees. Fees for sorted DLC waste would be lower, depending on the material.

The rate increases would take effect Jan. 1 next year and would bring about $600,000 a year into the City’s coffers.

The report also recommends boosting the minimum penalty for illegally dumping refuse to a minimum of $500 and maximum of $10,000, up from $25 and $100. The city’s costs for cleanup would also become recoverable.