A Saskatoon woman says she needs help getting her garbage bin to the curb — but the city has told her it can't offer that help.

Michelle Lee has health problems that affect her mobility and leave her unable to do certain tasks, like moving her garbage bin from her yard to the curb in front of her home in Pleasant Hill.

She called the City of Saskatoon for help, and was told a program that used to provide assistance to people in her situation no longer exists.

"What am I going to do with my garbage? Because there's no way I can get it onto the street," said Lee.

Her daughter used to help her move the bin, but she has moved away from the city.

Michelle Lee is unable to move her garbage bin from her front yard to the edge of the curb. She worries about what she will do with her garbage when it starts to pile up. (Bridget Yard/CBC)

A spokesperson for the City of Saskatoon told CBC News the program is approximately 10 years old, and was meant as a temporary program to assist people with the transition from larger bins in back alleys.

While the program still exists, new participants are not being admitted, because it was meant to be temporary.

Lee called her elected official, Ward 2 councillor Hilary Gough, who wasn't on council at the time the program was implemented. Gough encouraged Lee to contact the city's accessibility advisory committee.

"If there's an outstanding accessibility issue that not taking new participants into this program is generating, then that committee is a great place to discuss that and have some discussion around how widespread that issue might be, and ultimately make a recommendation to the committee," said Gough.

'This is important'

On Friday, Lee will attend a meeting of the accessibility advisory committee, a group made up mostly of community members, with two council representatives.

"It seems to me that there would be a lot of people who need that sort of service, who can't get their bins out. I'm really surprised. It's really a step backwards," she said.

"This is important. Old people need to get their garbage out."

I'm really surprised. It's really a step backwards. - Michelle Lee, homeowner

According to Gough, there are options for people who may not be able to put their garbage out on their own.

"There are other stakeholders and players in the community addressing these issues," she said

"For instance, Saskatoon Services for Seniors provides various home-based services."

Those services, though, come at a cost.

"I try to do things, but I just can't — even when it's empty and I try to bring it in," said Lee. She is considering hiring someone online to help her, though she worries she cannot afford it.

Saskatoon's accessibility advisory committee meets Friday at noon.