By Mat Barrett

Melfort landfill fees increase, will again in three months

Jan 16, 2019 | 1:40 PM

Prices have gone up for Melfort residents who plan to use the landfill just west of the city.

At the city council meeting on Monday, Jan. 14, councillors announced it will now cost $50 per tonne, up from $30 per tonne — a roughly 65 per cent increase.

Mayor Rick Lang said even though prices are going up, it’s still cheap in comparison to other communities.

“Our rates were seen as very minimal compared to other communities,” Lang told northeastNOW. “Even though we’ve adjusted it to the point of, $30 to $50 per tonne, $50 dollars is still deemed as very cheap. Councillor [Trent] Mitchell mentioned that Saskatoon is $105 per tonne.”

Lang added the rates will be reviewed due to increasing regulations.

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“The environment ministry is constantly putting more regulations on landfills, and in fact it’s caused a lot of landfills around this area in the northeast, to look at closing the doors,” he said.

The $50 per tonne price tag won’t permanent, however, as the cost is expected to rise to $70 per tonne in three months.

“You’ve got to have some landfills that are available, and they have to be realistically viable,” Lang said. “Because, those costs that we’re incurring right now, are nothing compared to the costs that will be coming down the road when we have to expand the landfill, and that day is going to come. We have to kind of look forward into the future, and so that’s primarily what we’re trying to stay on top of.”

NortheastNOW reached out to a number of contractors in Melfort to get their thoughts and received mixed response. A couple of contractors had said that the higher costs could lead to more illegal dumping.

Another local contractor said if the funds they are paying at the landfill are going toward future infrastructure, they are fine with playing their part.

mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6