Residents will see an increase on their utility bills if city council approves the rate supported budgets for Toronto Water and solid waste management services today.
The budgets include hikes to both the city’s water rate and waste collection fees.
The proposed water rate hike for all residential consumers is five per cent, which would mean an increase of $46 a year on the average residence (from $914 to $960). Industrial rates would also go up five per cent, meaning an average increase of $12,386 for those consumers (from $247,714 to $260,099).
The five per cent increase is part of a four-year plan to boost rates and restore $1 billion in funding that has been lost due to a decrease in water consumption.
The plan called for the city to hike rates by eight per cent in 2015 and 2016 and five per cent in 2017 and 2018.
According to a staff report, this year’s increase will result in an extra $55 million in revenue for Toronto Water.
Garbage fee hike also on the table
In addition to the increase in water fees, council will also vote on proposed increases to garbage rates today.
City staff had actually recommended a 5.2 per cent increase to waste collection fees; however the budget committee reduced the hike to two per cent, which is actually below the expected rate of inflation.
If council approves the committee-endorsed rates, residents will pay $22.66 for a small bin (an increase of $4.90), $121.32 for a medium bin (an extra $5.94), $303.21 for a large bin (an extra $8.07) and $420.60 for an extra-large bin (an extra $9.37).
In 2016, garbage collection rates went up three per cent.
Today’s meeting gets underway at 9:30 a.m.
