I was unaware the cost of my garbage receptacle went up!!

[walkonby]

Oh I am burning mad!! For all the years that we have had to place our garbage in the City bins we have enjoyed the $10.00 rebate they gave us for choosing the smallest bin, equal to 1 bag of garbage per 2 weeks. That all ended in March and I JUST found out today!

here is the link showing the new prices for the various receptacle sized bins.

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/co...0071d60f89RCRD

Now we have to PAY $10.63 a year for them to pick our garbage up and I am very annoyed. Can't fight City hall can we?!!

[Lynn49]

Wow, that's harsh, Walks. We use a huge rolling bin and can stuff it every week as long as it's all in green bags and no fee. Now I wonder how long that'll last....!

[Shwa Girl]

Oh I am burning mad!!

Now we have to PAY $10.63 a year for them to pick our garbage up and I am very annoyed. Can't fight City hall can we?!!

Yes you can!

Contact your regional counselor or ward counselor and let them know that this is too much money.

Also mention that you are retired and on a fixed budget. See what answer you get.

Don't give up!

Where we use to live, people would park on both sides of the street making it difficult for you to get through. When we e-mailed the mayor and told them that snow plows and emergency vehicles had a hard time getting through, one side of the street parking signs went up.

[walkonby]

Wow, that's harsh, Walks. We use a huge rolling bin and can stuff it every week as long as it's all in green bags and no fee. Now I wonder how long that'll last....!

you know when these big rolling bins first came here we were all skeptical, and then when they posted a list of the sizes my eyes went right to the one that said REBATE! Yes I could be the strict commander to make sure NO plastic/cans or glass goes in the garbage but gets recycled properly making sure to only generate 1 bag every 2 weeks ( there were 5 of us then )
For that I was given $10.00 back on my water/sewage bill each year, but it was NOT about the $10.00 really, more about beating them I think. So in reality there is a $20.00 increase for me because they have increased rates for the bins totally wiping out the rebate AND now a $10.00 charge remains.

Shwa, I dunno about calling to try to fight this....... maybe but I'd have to get myself pumped up for that. It just feels like every time we turn around we get stuck with increased costs for the same service.

[pippinelkhound]

Try living in Edmonton. I pay nearly $40/month for the city to pick up my garbage. No other option,.

[Shwa Girl]

Shwa, I dunno about calling to try to fight this....... maybe but I'd have to get myself pumped up for that. It just feels like every time we turn around we get stuck with increased costs for the same service.

That's o.k. You know your neighbourhood best.
Rob Ford would have fought for you. He regularly fought for people in your area. Now he is fighting his own health battle. Like him or hate him, this is what happens when he is out of the picture.

If you change your mind, here is another example of a battle we won. One library said we needed a driver's license for identification to get a library card. I tried to show proof of address but they insisted on the driver's license. I hate giving that id since it has some much information.
I asked if they could block out some of the license numbers since their system could be hacked. They refused.

I went to the head librarian. She treated me like I was an idiot.
That was it.

Contacted the mayor and my local counsellor. Within 48 hours the ruling was changed. License could be shown and only the last 4 digits were in the system.

When it comes to local government and services, I don't play! We pay too much in municipal and education taxes already. I make sure they are working for me!
*end rant*

Maybe a call to Global TV's consumer reporter Sean OShea
http://globalnews.ca/tag/consumer-sos/
or CTV's Pat Forin
http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/more/consumer-alert
may be in order.

[Natalka]

Here, we pay for recycling per month - but garbage is included in property taxes, which keep going up and up. Service for collection is cut for this year as well.

[BC Gal]

It sucks having to pay for something you got money back on . Since I moved, things have actually gone the other way. The garbage is now on my property taxes so I don't have a monthly bill and they also pick up as much recycling and yard waste you want. One really exceptional thing they do here is you can take your yard waste to the landfill anytime and it is free! They turn it into mulch and sell it back to the public. I think that's pretty smart and keeps people from illegal dumping.

[seylz_gurl]

Don't you love these hidden fees! My favourite is the delivery service charge on the hydro bills.

[wendymac]

I hear ya. I have not gotten over my resentment for being charged per garbage bag if I use more than the skimpy # of garbage tags the town provides each year. We pay so much in taxes and it is supposed to go toward services like roads and garbage collection. And, then, we read in our newspaper that the council is buying ultra expensive chairs and furniture for themselves. I am determined to live within the tag limit and not give my money int he cause of people being more comfortable while they sit and tax me.

[heartgirl99]

Don't you love these hidden fees! My favourite is the delivery service charge on the hydro bills.

omg! don't get me started on hydro one!

please use the link in my siggy to sign a petition to try to stop the sale of 60% of hydro one.

[heartgirl99]

Oh I am burning mad!! For all the years that we have had to place our garbage in the City bins we have enjoyed the $10.00 rebate they gave us for choosing the smallest bin, equal to 1 bag of garbage per 2 weeks. That all ended in March and I JUST found out today!

here is the link showing the new prices for the various receptacle sized bins.

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/co...0071d60f89RCRD

Now we have to PAY $10.63 a year for them to pick our garbage up and I am very annoyed. Can't fight City hall can we?!!

that's great that 5 of you only generate one bag of black garbage every 2 weeks!

like lynn, our trash collection charge is buried in our property tax somewhere. we're allowed 2 bags every 2 weeks but unlimited blue boxes and green bins. the only time we create 2 bags of trash is when we're doing a clear out. usually we barely fill one bag.

[walkonby]

I hear ya. I have not gotten over my resentment for being charged per garbage bag if I use more than the skimpy # of garbage tags the town provides each year. We pay so much in taxes and it is supposed to go toward services like roads and garbage collection. And, then, we read in our newspaper that the council is buying ultra expensive chairs and furniture for themselves. I am determined to live within the tag limit and not give my money int he cause of people being more comfortable while they sit and tax me.

you just reminded me!! In the beginning when they first rolled out these bins and the whole new concept, they actually mailed each homeowner 5 (?) or more of the tags that if you occasionally needed to put out an extra bag it was covered. Then they stopped giving us those tags. ( argh!! If we ever need any Canadian Tire sells them for about $3.29 or so each )

[walkonby]

that's great that 5 of you only generate one bag of black garbage every 2 weeks!

like lynn, our trash collection charge is buried in our property tax somewhere. we're allowed 2 bags every 2 weeks but unlimited blue boxes and green bins. the only time we create 2 bags of trash is when we're doing a clear out. usually we barely fill one bag.

I just found out some worse news today. I called the Waste Management dept to see how long this has been in effect because I honestly forget how long we've been doing this rolling garbage bins down to the curb thing. The gal said oh at least 5 years or more. Then I mentioned my disappointment in having to now pay for my tiny small bin which I used to get a credit for. She tells me I actually started paying for it starting last year.
Apparently for a few years I was credited $10.00 a yr. but as the costs went up that rebate disappeared and then I was neutral ( no pay, but no rebate either ) until mid 2014 or so the new increase now meant I paid around $6.00 a yr and here we are now at the new rate of $10.63.....oh yeah and no free stickers anymore either ( I miss getting those )

heartgirl when I say I POLICE the garbage around here, I have to or we would generate more than that 1 bag. We are only 4 of us now though.

[Crochetlady]

We pay $2 per bag for our garbage. unlimited free recycling. Some friends have the wheelie bins and they pay $85 per year for those.