Council reaches compromise on high garbage pickup rates.

Council has come to a compromise regarding a highly debated budget item: residential and commercial rates for garbage pickup in Clarence-Rockland.

The municipal council of Clarence-Rockland has made changes to the residential and commercial rates for weekly garbage bag and pickup. This decision is to accommodate home-based businesses that were getting the short end of the stick. Not only did they have to pay the large commercial rate, without producing as much garbage as larger businesses, they also had to pay the residential rate. Council has also decided to reimburse those who were affected last year.

The residential rate for garbage pickup will remain constant at $187.50 a year. Commercial properties with bags received a 30 per cent reduction, for a fixed rate of $400 a year. The rate for commercial properties that use bins is at $70 per ton with a minimum rate of $1000 per year. In addition, an amendment has been made to ensure that owners of home-based businesses will only be charged the commercial garbage pickup rate, and not also the residential rate.

Ten home-based businesses in Clarence-Rockland will be receiving a refund of $358.50 for the unjustly cost they paid last year. Having had to pay the residential and commercial rates, these home-based businesses were charged $758.50 for garbage collection. Now that the rate is fixed at $400, council unanimously decided to reimburse the difference.

This item was the source of debate during the council’s 2018 budget discussions as the budget initially proposed a 75 per cent increase – from $571 to $1000 – for the commercial bag rate. Upon reevaluation, council has issued a reduction – from $571 to $400 – for commercial bag rate but has increased the rate for commercial bins from $35.50 per ton last year to $70 per ton. The initial budget proposed an increase to $50 per ton instead of the now-established $70.

These new rates for weekly garbage pickup will be effective beginning in the new year, on January 1, 2018 and will stay in effect every other year after that until repealed.

—photo fournie Le taux résidentiel pour la collecte des déchets demeurera le même à 187,50 $ par année. Une réduction d’environ 30 % a été accordée aux propriétés commerciales avec des sacs, pour un taux fixe de 400 $ par année. Le taux pour les propriétés...