The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) Board voted to adopt a new bylaw to increase tipping fee rates for waste disposal at landfills and transfer stations around the region beginning May 1, 2026.
Tipping fees are the rates charged when waste is dropped off at local landfills and transfer stations.
The changes reflect a public desire for residents to pay directly for the garbage they send to the landfill, rather than putting the cost onto general taxation. This system also encourages recycling, as many of the recycling programs operate at free or reduced cost to the user.
Tipping fee rate
Effective May 1, 2026, the cost of disposal for refuse will be $100/tonne, up from the current $90/tonne rate. The cost of bringing in a mixed load without recyclables removed will be set at $350/tonne, with the current rate set at $270/tonne. The new CSRD tipping fee rates are still on the lower end of the scale as compared to many other regional districts in BC.
Fee changes and exemptions
The CSRD will also be starting a $5 minimum fee at all Refuse Disposal Facilities, which will help cover basic operating costs for the site. A minimum site user fee is common at the majority of BC Regional Districts.
As part of the bylaw, the CSRD will offer a specified free yard waste drop-off in the spring and fall for approximately one month. Dates for the free yard waste period will be determined by staff and advertised to the public.
There will be some other exemptions to the minimum fee. It will remain free to drop off:
• residential recyclable materials (access to the recycling bins)
• invasive plants
• yard and garden waste (with an approved FireSmart waiver only)
• bagged refuse ($3 per bag)
• books and clothing for recycling
• household hazardous waste.
