The city is a step closer to looking at making garbage pickup a biweekly service. Now, it wants to know what you think.

Hamilton's public works committee voted Monday to hire a consultant – cost: about $25,000 – to survey residents on waste management later this year.

The public hates it when we tinker with waste collection. - Lloyd Ferguson, Ancaster councillor

Among the future questions: what do you think of garbage pickup being every other week? How many extra tags should people get? How often do you put garbage at the curb?

The questions come as part of a review of the city's waste management services. The review is necessary, city staff say, because it's been years since the city looked at waste management services.

Biweekly pickup is just one idea right now. Staff said earlier this year that it would save at least $1 million.

Some councillors said in April that it still wasn't worth it.

"Waste service is a priority for me and my constituents, and it's not one of those areas where I'm willing to cut corners," said Chad Collins, Ward 5 councillor, in April.

Lloyd Ferguson, Ancaster councillor echoed that on Monday. In fact, he voted against even hiring the consultant.

"The public hates it when we tinker with waste collection," he said.

Metroline Research Group Inc. will do the survey by telephone, in person and online. It hopes to survey at least 800 people on the phone, 100 in person and 200 online.

If city council ratifies this on Oct. 26, the company will survey people this year and present options in early 2017.

samantha.craggs@cbc.ca | @SamCraggsCBC