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The strategy will also include a price increase for about 27,000 multi-resident homes to bring the rate in line with the single-unit curbside pick-up service they’ve been receiving.

These residents will see a monthly rate increase of $16.48 to transition from the monthly residential bin collection utility rate of $30.60 to the residential curb-side rate of $47.08, expected to phase in over five years beginning in 2020 to “avoid rate shock,” says the strategy report.

The current classification of customers is separated into single- and multi-units, meaning even some townhomes with curbside pick-up pay the lower rate. There are about 180,000 multi-unit residences in Edmonton.

“Mother Earth doesn’t distinguish between single occupancy houses and multi-unit houses and commercial and industrial and institutional,” said Walters. “So all of those producers of waste are going to have to be involved and do their part.”

The rate increase for these homes is expected to result in a $5-million increase in revenue, used to fund operating and capital requirements. The single-family rate will also increase for all clients by 2.5 per cent per year until 2022.

“The city can’t do what 480,000 households can do in terms of separating waste,” said Labrecque.

New carts would be rolled out in order to meet the needs of the new garbage truck pick-up system, operated by a mechanism without the need for a worker to get out of the vehicle. That will mean a new set of rules for residents along with two regulated bin sizes, 120L or 240L, to choose from.