Centre Hastings Council is shifting the financial burden of waste collection to users.
The municipality has less than a month before they are expected to approve their 2023 municipal budget.
One large expense for the municipality has always been waste collection.
At Wednesday night’s council meeting, staff brought forward a recommendation that council move from the municipal tax base paying for garbage collection, to a user pay system, or Pay As You Throw bag tag program.
Currently garbage collection represents a $223,000 operating costs to taxpayers.
In a recorded vote, council approved changing to a user pay system, or bag tags.
The only vote against the proposal was Mayor Tom Deline.
He says that he was not necessarily against a user pay system, but wanted it to begin in January of next year, giving residents a break during a tough time making ends meet.
The staff recommendation suggests that a bag tag program is more equitable, pushing the financial burden on those who throw out more.
The change will start July 1, saving the municipality over $96,000, decreasing the proposed tax hike from 4.91% to 3.7%.
