The RM of Portage la Prairie's recent council meeting discussed two separate by-laws regarding trash collection costs, but essentially, it's the same rate as the overall municipality. Ward 4 councillor Roy Tufford outlines the plan first announced this past October.     

"We're essentially increasing the rate that our ratepayers pay for garbage collection," says Tufford. "It's reflecting our new costs associated with our new contract. The contract didn't end in the chronological year. It ended in the middle of the year, so we got a new price. We decided not to raise it till we do the new bylaw. It will be going up, and it's pretty minimal."

He notes it's about a $20-per-year increase. 

"The 11 areas in one bylaw are truck routes," continues Tufford. "Those 11 areas have been set up at different times over the years. We do the 11 together and we do Oakville together, but essentially it's on the same rate for the whole municipality. Oakville used to be an LUD (Local Urban District), so it isn't anymore. We just maintained that same way of doing it for simplicity."
    

  • Estimated cost of the Service (Based on 257 pick-ups)
  • 2023 Annual estimated cost of service = $150.00 x 257 = $38,550.00
  • 2024 Annual estimated cost of service = $157.50 x 257 = $40,477.50
  • 2025 Annual estimated cost of service = $165.38 x 257 = $42,502.66
  • 2026 Annual estimated cost of service = $173.65 x 257 = $44,628.05
  • 2027 Annual estimated cost of service = $182.33 x 257 = $46,858.81

 
The method of calculating the Special Service tax will be on a per-parcel basis. The rate will be based on the rate of the contracted service, awarded for the years 2023 to 2027 inclusive. As the contract rate is currently $149.76 for 2022, increasing by the CPI rate on an annual basis, the rate charged over the 5-year period per household is proposed to be:

  • 2023 Proposed Annual Special Service Tax $150.00/residence
  • 2024 Proposed Annual Special Service Tax (2023 plus 5%) $157.50/residence
  • 2025 Proposed Annual Special Service Tax (2024 plus 5%) $165.38/residence
  • 2026 Proposed Annual Special Service Tax (2025 plus 5%) $173.65/residence
  • 2027 Proposed Annual Special Service Tax (2026 plus 5%) $182.33/residence

The 11 areas outside Oakville include:

  • Peony Farm Area;
  • Pine Crescent area;
  • Cottonwood Dr. and Road 39W, New Holland Rd.
  • Yellowquill Trail.
  • Angle Road & Road 34W.
  • Part of Parish Lot 127, Parish of Portage la Prairie and Road 34 W, south of Sun & Snow.
  • Hamlet of Poplar Point.
  • Hamlet of High Bluff and area.
  • Diamond Drive, High Bluff Road 30 W,
  • Hamlet of Macdonald.
  • Hamlets of St. Ambroise & St. Marks.
  • Gainsborough area, including the Hamlet of Newton.
  • Burnside/Edwin.
  • North of Oakville, South of Hwy #1 between Road 23 W and PTH #13 and homes situated along PR 331 east of Oakville and homes situated North of hwy #1 to Road 68N between Road 23W to Road 27W
  • Prospect Park and Oakland.
  • South of PTH 26, north of PTH 1, east of Road 30W, west of the Assiniboine River. Excluding residences on PTH 26.
  • North of PTH1, south of Assiniboine River, west of Road 18W