Editor's Note: This article has been edited since it was originally published.
City council has decided to scrap Orillia's free garbage tag program in 2024.
Councillors considered cancelling the city's free garbage tag program for 2023 — which currently sees each resident receive 20 tags per year — during this week’s budget deliberations, but ultimately decided to phase the change in.
Residents will be provided with ten tags in July 2023, with no more tags issued as of 2024.
Councillors were reluctant to phase in a full user pay system this year.
Coun. Jay Fallis said he would like to see the city explore alternative waste management options before moving to a full user pay system, noting that people who own dogs, as an example, need to pay more annually to dispose of their pet waste.
“At least for me, I would like to see some alternatives put forward before we go down this route. I'm not saying never, but … I think we need to be a bit more sensitive to the implementation of this,” he said.
Fallis also highlighted the city’s recent move to clear garbage bags.
“This is coming right on the heels of that, (and) I don't know if that's kind of the best way to be … encouraging good waste management practices – you want to encourage, not obligate,” he said.
Coun. Tim Lauer agreed, and noted taxpayers have enough expenses in today’s economy.
“I think the consumer right now is dealing with enough inflationary punches. I don't think this particular year we need to pile on (that),” he said. “I like the idea of a phase-in committed to 100 per cent user fees, but I also realize that there's a sensitivity to timing here.”
Both councillors Janet-Lynne Durnford and Luke Leatherdale expressed concern that immediately moving to a full user pay system would lead to illegal dumping.
“...This is a fairly abrupt increase, and I am concerned that we may be facing issues of dumping if we are not phasing this in a little bit more,” Durnford said.
“I think subsidized garbage pickup is something people have been used to for a really long time, and if we take that away with a full user pay, then we're going to see, like Janet was saying, a lot more illegal dumping,” Leatherdale added.
Coun. Whitney Smith and Mayor Don McIsaac, however, disagreed that the change would lead to illegal dumping.
“I think, typically, if you're in a household that composts and recycles, you're not just going to all of a sudden go dump your trash anywhere,” Smith said. “Likely you have a conviction in your heart that says I'm going to do these things responsibly, so I don't think that that's going to be the response.”
McIsaac agreed.
“I, too, have more faith in Orillians than thinking they would do the wrong thing,” McIsaac said.
Council voted 7-1 against moving to a full user pay system for 2023
