TERRACE city council has accepted a staff recommendation to impose tipping fees on certain types of residential waste dropped off at the Terrace Landfill on Kalum Lake Rd.
The new fee is $12.50 plus tax for loads of residential construction and demolition waste, as well as land clearing waste.
Previously all residential waste could be dropped off without charge. No change has been made to the commercial fees.
“There will continue to be no tipping fee for regular refuse originating from residential properties and the tipping fees for commercial clients remain unchanged,” reads the recommendation.
The recent amendment, which is to landfill site bylaw No. 1425-1995, also includes a document that defines the difference between residential construction and demolition waste and regular residential waste.
The distinction has to do with volume and size of load and the types of material.
The amendment passed first, second and third readings Nov.11.
In making the recommendation, city sustainability coordinator Tara Irwin said the inclusion of a fee at the current Terrace landfill is part of a process whereby Terrace and Thornhill will align their solid waste programs and work toward an integrated system.
Within a few years, the current Terrace landfill is scheduled to be closed, while construction for a new landfill at Forceman Ridge south of Terrace will begin next year which will be used by both Thornhill and Terrace.
Irwin said that normal yard waste would still be accepted without a fee, but larger items like big pieces of wood would trigger the new tipping fee based on volume.
Another reason for the new fee, said Irwin, is that it will ensure that Thornhill residents don't bring their garbage over to Terrace to avoid paying on their side.
Councillors Marylin Davies and James Cordeiro also recommended that Irwin do something to improve the consistency with which tipping fees are issued at the Terrace landfill after hearing of stories of people being charged irregularly and sometimes, they said, unjustly.
Irwin responded that much of the Terrace landfill is operated on an honour system and that as far as she is aware any issues with charging are isolated because the current attendants looking after the landfill have been doing an excellent job.