Barrie councillors give initial OK for trash pickup rebate

City councillors gave initial approval this week to have staff develop a service for trash collection at multi-residential buildings, or a rebate, at a cost of $115,000 in 2015. The plan will come back to councillors by July 1.

“I see it as an issue of fairness,” said Mayor Jeff Lehman, who noted condo owners shouldn’t be paying for garbage pickup through their property taxes and condo fees. “I am looking to stop double taxation.”

If given city council approval on March 9, it could begin in October.

Lehman’s motion passed by a 6-4 margin, with councillors speaking on both sides of the issue.

“I have had some condo residents say ‘do something about it or we will put our trash on the side of the road’,” said Coun. Rose Romita. “So the sooner the better.”

But Coun. John Brassard said he won’t support it because it adds to this year’s tax increase.

“We are currently at a rate that is just above my comfort level,” he said.

This year’s operating/capital budget includes a 3.24% property tax hike, which adds $118 for the typical Barrie homeowner with a property assessed at $282,000.

The city has received petitions from several condo boards about the current service level.

Barrie’s garbage pickup doesn’t include the multi-residential sector – complexes with six or more units, cluster townhouses on private roads – that don’t use curbside collection services.

City staff polled 18 other municipalities and found that three provide a property tax rebate to those which use a private trash hauler, while eight provide front-end garbage collection to multi-residential properties.

Front-end collection requires special trucks, different than those used in Barrie, with retractable forks to lift large waste bins over the truck’s cab and into its bin.

The best estimate for this service in Barrie is a $230,000 cost, although that number is two years old.

To deliver this service, that amount would need to go into the city’s annual operating budget for environmental services, which includes waste management, pegged at $8.6 million in 2015.

The city has 272 multi-residential complexes and approximately 30 cluster townhouse complexes on private roadways.

Lehman said in some municipalities, multi-residential building residents just put their trash on the corner, like everyone else.

“If we would allow residents. . .to put their garbage at the curb, we would have a disgusting city,” he said.

There are complications with a rebate. The Ontario Municipal Act states property taxes are based on assessment or land value, not on services provided or not provided.

The city doesn’t give rebates on other services residents pay for through their property taxes, such as public transit or recreational facilities, but might not use.

On Monday, some councillors also questioned whether the residents would actually see the financial benefit of this plan, or whether it would just be pocketed by condo management companies or landlords.

Property tax assessment includes a portion for waste management, for curbside collection and disposal.