Vancouver taxpayers expecting a refund for garbage collections missed during this summer's civic strike may actually see fees increase.
Despite a council promise to return any savings to taxpayers, council is considering a recommendation from city staff to hike the annual fee for collecting a mid-size garbage container by $6, to $105.
Vancouver residents will not get a refund for not having garbage collected for three months during the civic strike this summer.
(CBC)
Staff say fees need to be increased because of higher wage, fuel and equipment costs.
The details are contained in a report going to council next week on "Solid Waste Utility Fees and Bylaw Changes," which also recommends fees for collecting yard waste would also go up.
A report by city staff estimates the municipal government saved just $1.2 million dollars in garbage collection costs during the three-month strike. Passing those savings onto homeowners would amount to just $8 per household.
The city did not save much during the strike because all of the garbage had to be picked up eventually, and that costs money, city engineer Brian Davies told CBC News on Thursday.
"We've spent the last seven weeks after the strike cleaning up the accumulated materials that people have been storing up during the strike," Davies said.
Just days after the strike began in July, council passed a motion promising to pass any savings on to taxpayers. Non-Partisan Association councillors, with the exeption of Peter Ladner, voted against the motion.
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