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LETTER: ‘Unconscionable’ trash, recycling transfer leaves some stratas paying twice

Editor:
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Editor:

The City of White Rock will be taking back collection of garbage and recyclables in January 2023, and as it’s worded now, the bylaw will cost a number of strata condo buildings thousands of dollars in duplicated collection fees.

After a transition period, condo buildings will have to start paying the city for collection in January of 2024, regardless of contracts they might have signed with private haulers at a time when the city’s intentions were not known.

So far, White Rock’s attitude seems to be that strata councils have to appeal to the goodwill of their contractor to get out of agreements that can extend into 2025, or beyond.

The response has been mixed, and private haulage costs, if they are added to the city’s fees, can be daunting for buildings that are not populated by the wealthy.

Being double billed for waste collection is unconscionable, and White Rock needs to revisit the bylaw, and rather than expecting strata councils to go cap-in-hand to their contractors, or to the city for exceptions, should revise the bylaw so that buildings will only have to pay the city fee when their private contract is fulfilled, if the contract cannot be altered.

Failing that, I probably don’t need to add that affected, double-billed residents will have this in mind come the next civic poll.

Neil Fawcett, White Rock