Potential Expansion of Municipal Solid Waste Collection Areas
Overview
The Township of Langley is considering expansion of municipal garbage and organics collection zones. Existing collection zones are limited to the more urban centres of the Township and have remained largely unchanged for several decades. Properties outside these zones are responsible for making their own arrangements for garbage and organics disposal.
To ensure we are serving the community’s needs, the Township wants to hear from rural residential property owners to understand if residents are interested in expanding the municipal collection zones.
If you are a rural residential property owner, click here to complete the survey to register your support or non-support for municipal garbage and organics collection.
Background of Collection Services
Curbside collection services consist of two service modules, each funded by a different mechanism.
Recycling (already provided to all homes)
All homes in the Township currently receive municipal recycling collection consisting of the Blue Box (Containers), Yellow Bag (Paper), and Grey Box (Glass). This service is funded through general tax revenue and incentives the Township receives for the materials collected. No changes to recycling collection are being proposed.
Garbage, Green Cart, and Large Item Pick Up
Only homes within the municipal collection areas receive municipal garbage, Green Cart, and Large Item Pick Up services. Homes receiving these services have a ‘refuse collection fee’ applied to the annual Property Tax Notice. The annual fee is determined by the level of garbage service provided to that property and is independent of any other taxes or fees. Homes outside of the municipal collection areas that currently receive recycling collection only, do not have this fee applied.
What is included in municipal garbage, Green Cart, and large item pick up?
Green Cart |
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Garbage |
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Large Item Pick Up |
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Cost
Garbage, Green Cart, and large item pick up services are a bundled utility and cannot be provided individually. Annual collection rates are determined by the size and number of garbage carts assigned to a property and are independent of any other taxes or fees. Green Cart size does not affect rates as properties may set out unlimited residential organics in their own cans, paper bags, or bundles of branches regardless of Green Cart size.
Collection rates are billed annually on the Property Tax Notice. Rates for 2024 are as follows:
- $372.39/year (equivalent to $31.03 per month) for a home with a 240L garbage cart – standard size
- $287.39/year (equivalent to $23.95 per month) for a home with a 120L garbage cart – optional size
If a property requires additional garbage collection, up to two (2) additional carts can be requested for an additional annual fee:
- +$85/year per additional 120L garbage cart
- +$170/year per additional 240L garbage cart
Please note that rates are subject to annual review and approval by Council.
Public engagement
The Township will be contacting rural residential property owners via direct mail to complete a short online survey or to submit a mail in ballot.
Complete the survey to register your support or non-support by clicking the button below. Please note one survey response per household.
Online and mail surveys are due by Friday, October 11, 2024 at 11:59pm. Survey results will be compiled and presented to Council.
Please check back for further updates on this project.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Why is the Township asking for feedback on municipal garbage and organics collection services? |
Collection areas have remained largely unchanged for several decades. In that time the Township has seen significant change, including increasing urbanization and population growth. In recent years the Township has seen an increase in the number of residents, new and existing, requesting municipal garbage and organics collection. This engagement will help inform future decisions around the viability of potential collection zone expansion. |
Do other municipalities have a similar two-tiered collection model? |
The majority of other Metro Vancouver municipalities provide garbage and organics collection to all homes within their boundaries. All homes are automatically eligible for collection. The Township is somewhat unique in that large areas are not eligible for service. |
Does this engagement opportunity mean municipal garbage and organics collection is coming to my area? |
Not necessarily. The Township is conducting public engagement to determine if public interest is sufficient to make expanded collection zones viable. The results of this engagement will be shared with Township Council later this year. |
If municipal collection zones expand to my area will all homes be required to receive municipal collection? Or will it be possible to opt-in/opt-out? |
At this point in time it is unknown what possible service models may look like. The purpose of this survey is to determine the level of support or non-support for municipal garbage and organics collection in rural areas. The response received will help influence any proposed changes to collection zones for consideration by Council. It is possible that no change to collection zones may occur if property owners are overwhelmingly against municipal collection services. |
Why doesn't my address appear for selection in the survey? |
Your address may not appear for a couple of reasons:
If this doesn't not resolve the issue, please contact us at carts@tol.ca with your name and address. |
I live in a townhouse complex that receives municipal recycling collection only. Are we eligible to receive municipal garbage and organics collection? |
Very likely. Most townhome complexes reside within an existing collection area and can be easily added on to a route. Similar to rural properties, if your complex currently receives municipal recycling only, units will not have the "refuse collection fee" applied. If your complex is interested in learning more, please have your strata management company contact us at multifamilywaste@tol.ca. |
How does a municipal collection service benefit the community? |
A coordinated collection program can have several benefits, including:
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Why does the Township charge different rates for different sized carts? |
A variable utility model, otherwise known as ‘user pay’, allows residents to adjust the service level to meet the needs of their individual property. The ability to downsize to a smaller cart incentivizes properties to reduce waste through participation in recycling and composting programs to the greatest extent possible. |
Contact us
If you have further questions please contact us at carts@tol.ca or 604-532-7300.