The Regional District of North Okanagan is reminding residents that landfill and transfer fees will increase next year.
Beginning Jan. 1, the minimum charge for several products, including garbage, will increase from $10 to $12.
Officials said the Solid Waste Management service is funded primarily through user fees, with a small portion supported through taxation.
“This funding model reflects the principles of the RDNO Solid Waste Management Plan, which promotes a polluter-pay and user-pay approach,” the RDNO stated in its update.
“Under this model, residents who generate more waste generally pay more, while those who generate less waste pay less.”
For garbage disposal, the new minimum charge will allow customers to dispose up to 216 lbs, an increase 33 lbs over the current allowance.
Per-tonne disposal fees for several other materials will also increase.
The RDNO noted that managing waste and operating disposal facilities involves high, ongoing costs. User fees help fund daily operations, facility maintenance, environmental monitoring, infrastructure improvement, future capital projects, and long-term closure reserves.
“These investments are essential to ensuring the RDNO’s waste management system remains safe, reliable, and financially sustainable for years to come,” the update continued.
Despite the increase, the RDNO encouraged residents to reduce the amount of waste they generate and throw away.
A complete schedule of landfill and transfer station fees is available online.
