Champlain council unanimously approved a hike in residential garbage collection and disposal fees on Thursday, May 22. Inflation and contract renegotiations were cited as primary causes for the increase.
Residents will now pay $195 annually, up from $180.
In 2024, the garbage fee was previously adjusted to $175 per unit after the $61 recycling fee was eliminated, following the Ontario government’s takeover of residential recycling in July 2023.
Staff informed council that financial pressures were behind the recommended increase.
The increased costs will cover the township’s portion of household hazardous waste collection and recycling at municipal buildings.
Rising costs for collection, transportation, and tipping—compounded by inflation—have added an average of $7.84 per residential unit.
Since 2023, townships have also been required to account for long-term landfill retirement costs, adding an annual accretion expense. This entails an additional $28,854 in costs to the solid waste program, increasing 4.4 per cent annually until 2044.
To offset 2025 costs, the Joint Recycling Committee will use a one-time reserve reimbursement of approximately $66,000. This funding, however, will not be available in future years.
The fee increase passed without questions or comments from the council.
