Today, Toronto City Council approved a planned three per cent increase to rates and fees for Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water. The rates and fees will take effect Sunday, January 1, 2023 and are considered interim until the City of Toronto’s 2023 rate-supported operating and capital budgets are approved next year.
These below inflation increases now will help to avoid a larger increase later in 2023 when the final budget is approved and will allow Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water to maintain all current service levels, and allocate sufficient funds to support future capital needs in their 10-Year Capital Plans.
Residents pay for waste collection services based on the size of their garbage bin. In 2023, with the three per cent increase, the annual solid waste fee for a single-family household will be $286.69 for a small bin (an increase of $8.35), $348.03 for a medium bin (an increase of $10.14), $472.68 for a large bin (an increase of $13.77) and $548.26 for an extra-large bin (an increase of $15.97).
For the average Toronto household using 230 cubic metres of water per year, the interim water and wastewater consumption rate will cost an additional $29 annually (eight cents per day), for a total of $1,009 in 2023.
The approved interim rates and fees are consistent with the Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water 10 Year Plans approved by Council during the 2022 Budget process.
Toronto Water provides safe drinking water, wastewater collection and treatment and stormwater management services, while investing in the construction of new assets and the renewal of existing infrastructure to deal with the impacts of significant city growth, aging infrastructure and climate change.
In addition to residential garbage collection, Solid Waste Management Services fees pay for the collection and processing of recycling, yard waste, organics, oversized and metal items, household hazardous waste and electronics. Solid Waste Management Services fees also fund city-wide litter collection, Community Environment Days, street and park bin collection, drop-off-depots, ongoing care of closed landfills and more.
The Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water rate-supported operating and capital budgets will be considered as part of the 2023 Budget process, which will launch Tuesday, January 10, 2023. The Interim rates and fees may be amended by Council when these budgets are approved. Residents and businesses will have another opportunity to provide feedback on the rates and fees during the 2023 Budget process.
More information about the City’s 2023 Budget is available on the 2023 Budget web page: www.toronto.ca/budget.
Quotes:
“We have worked to keep any increases for Solid Waste Management Services and Toronto Water below inflation while making sure we continue to deliver the core services that Toronto residents and businesses rely on the City to deliver every day. This is the right thing to do now to avoid a larger increase later in 2023.”
– Mayor John Tory
“I look forward to hearing from Toronto residents and businesses during the 2023 Budget process on these and many other important City services as we continue to support Toronto’s economic recovery and chart a sustainable path forward.”
– Councillor Gary Crawford (Scarborough Southwest), Budget Committee Chair
SOURCE City of Toronto
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