Killarney Guide

Public Hearing on the new by-law to be held at the Shamrock Centre on Tuesday, January 19 at 7 p.m.

BY KIM LANGEN

Sanitation services in the town are set to change, after long-time contract holder Calvin Friesen announced he was stepping down from his role in Killarney’s garbage collection.

Council for the Municipality of Killarney-Turtle Mountain say they then put out a call for bids for the weekly garbage pick-up and bi-weekly recycling contract.

 “We had two companies make proposals: one from Manitoba, and one from Saskatchewan,” said acting head of council Janice Smith. “The Saskatchewan one had the lowest price, and we are mandated to get the best price for our ratepayers.”

Loraas Disposal, the new service provider, is based in Saskatoon, and will begin picking up the garbage here in town on Friday, January 15, she said. 

Their sanitation trucks will be dispatched from a smaller company depot in Kennedy, Saskatchewan, a town located close to the Saskatchewan/Manitoba border.

“The municipality would like to thank Cal for his many years of great service to the community,” said Smith. “He did a great job – and this is not a glamorous job – for many years. And he helped smooth the changeover process with Loraas.”

Charges to private residents will reflect a slight increase, with an average rise of $8 annually for their weekly garbage and bi-weekly recycling pick-up.

The average resident currently pays around $118 per year, and this will rise to $126. Residents will be provided with a recycling cart and a garbage cart at no charge.

Business owners with regular curbside garbage pick-up (not recycling) will see an increase of $12 yearly, from $70 to $82. These businesses will also be provided with a garbage cart at no charge.

And the new company will also be beefing up the capacity at the recycling station near North Railway and Broadway so that out-of-towners will now have more volume to deposit their recyclable materials.

“What will change is they will be putting larger bins at our community depot, with hopes that this will make the recycling bins not overflowing every week,” said Smith.

Businesses with dumpsters will still see the same $500 annual charge for weekly garbage pick-up, but there will be an additional $300 annual charge. But this new charge includes the provision of a dumpster for customers, who will no longer have to rent them.

Current dumpster rentals average around $300 annually, depending on their size, said the municipality, so the change in fees overall to these business customers will be minimal.

“I really don’t see any headaches,” said Smith. “I think it will be a wonderful service for the residents of Killarney.”

Business recycling, however, runs on a separate system, she explained. This service has been provided since 2016 by Municipal Waste Management (MWM), after a five-year contract was struck with the municipality.

“This contract is completing soon, and runs out on April 1, 2021,” said Smith. “The residential recycling pick-up will then be taken over by Loraas, who do both garbage and recycling pick-up. But commercial recycling is different: it was set up by MWM in the form of private contracts drawn up individually with local businesses. If businesses want to alter their contracts with MWM, they will have to contact Loraas themselves if they want to discuss changes to their service. Loraas does not want to step on any toes.”

Garbage and recycling fees will appear on municipal tax forms as a Special Service. 

In order to add this new service charge, or levy, a new by-law must be passed by council to replace the old by-law.

To help inform the public of this proposed change in fees, a public hearing is to be held on Tuesday, January 19, at 7 p.m. at the Shamrock Centre, where council will present the Special Services Proposal By-Law No. 1-2020.

Residents received a letter from the Civic Offices regarding the protocols of this hearing, and how to object in both written and verbal form. And those who attend must RSVP in advance to the civic office in order to give them time to ensure physical distancing. 

For more information, ratepayers can also contact the town office at 204-523-7247.

OVERFLOWING BINS  – The community recycling bins near North Railway and Broadway were brimming over on Thursday morning. On January 15, new sanitation company Loraas is to increase the capacity at this site, so out-of-towners will find it easier to drop their recyclables off.

JAY STRUTH/KILLARNEY GUIDE