If the recommendation is endorsed at committee meetings, the city said the change will be presented to council at its Aug. 26 meeting. (650 CKOM file photo)

New funding model for multi-unit garbage collection proposed in Saskatoon

By CKOM News Jul 30, 2026 | 10:20 AM

Saskatoon’s city administration has proposed a new model to pay for garbage collection at multi-unit residential buildings.

The change would see trash collection at multi-unit dwellings funded by utility fees. Currently, the city said, that collection is funded through property taxes, meaning that all taxpayers contribute, regardless of whether they receive the service. Property taxes were raised by 6.7 per cent in 2026, with another increase of 5.81 per cent planned for 2027.

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The city noted that it provides weekly collection at more than 80 per cent of Saskatoon’s multi-unit properties, and the proposed model would bring those properties into alignment with the existing curbside waste collection program, which underwent a similar switch in 2024.

“Transitioning to a utility-funded model is an important step toward a more transparent and equitable waste management system,” Brock Storey, Saskatoon’s environmental operations manager, said in a statement.

“Under the proposed approach, properties would pay directly for the garbage services they receive, based on bin size and collection frequency.”

If the recommendation is endorsed at committee meetings, the city said the change will be presented to council at its Aug. 26 meeting.

“If approved, Administration will begin developing the utility framework, billing systems and customer communications required to support the transition. The new funding model is recommended to take effect in January 2028,” the city noted.