Council waives residential landfill fees and lowers utility rates

Residents of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo will save money through two changes approved by Council on October 27, 2026. 

Council approved amendments to the Fees, Rates and Charges Bylaw that will: 

• Eliminate residential landfill disposal fees for up to 200 kg of household waste each day, per residence at the Regional Landfill. 

• Reduce monthly Solid Waste Services utility rates to $25.00 per dwelling for most residential households. 

"If there are reduced costs to us as a local government, we believe in making every effort to pass on those savings to community members,” said Mayor Sandy Bowman. "We also approved the elimination of residential landfill fees up to 200 kg each day, per residence, meaning there are no fees to use the landfill for residential users, up to that limit on a daily basis.” 

Residential landfill fees waived  

Effective immediately, there are no residential landfill disposal fees for up to 200 kg of household waste each day per residence. These fees have been waived in the 2026-27 User Fees and Rates Bylaw, which expires March 31, 2027. Future changes to landfill disposal rates are being evaluated prior to the 2027-28 Bylaw coming into effect on April 1, 2027.    

The amendment includes items that currently carry a fee such as refrigerators, freezers and mattresses, as well as materials from the annual Big Bin and Heavy Item Pickup events. 

Standard landfill fees will continue to apply to residential loads exceeding 200 kg and to commercial waste. Visit rmwb.ca/landfill for information on accepted items, hours of operation and tips to help you plan your trip. 

Residential Solid Waste Disposal monthly rates decreasing 

Effective October 27, 2026, the monthly residential Solid Waste Disposal rate is $25.00 per dwelling in: 

• Fort McMurray (Urban Service Area): down from $43.00, a savings of $18.00 per month, or $216 per year. 

• Anzac, Gregoire Lake Estates, Saprae Creek Estates and Draper: down from $41.92, a savings of $16.92 per month, or about $203 per year. 

The Fees, Rates and Charges Bylaw is reviewed and adjusted annually to better reflect the cost of providing individual services.  

What to expect on your Utility Bill 

The new rate will be applied automatically to utility bills, with both the previous and new rates appearing during the transition period following the October 27 effective date. 

Residents receiving their October utility bill will see: 

• September 1 to October 26: Previous rate 

• October 27 to October 31: New rate 

Residents receiving their November utility bill will see: 

• October 1 to October 26: Previous rate 

• October 27 to November 30: New rate 

Beginning with the December billing cycle, the new rate will apply to the entire billing period. 

Why rates are changing 

Under Alberta’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, the companies that make and sell packaging and paper products are now responsible for collecting and managing residential recycling. That responsibility was previously managed by the Municipality. 

With residential recycling now funded by producers, the Municipality expects to avoid approximately $3.3 million a year in operating costs. The new reduced utility rate passes those savings directly on to households that previously paid for municipal curbside recycling. 

Residential recycling is now managed separately by Circular Materials and picked up by Collective Waste Solutions.   

What’s not changing 

The monthly rate in Janvier, Conklin, Fort Chipewyan and Fort McKay will stay at $21.03 per dwelling. These communities did not previously receive municipal curbside recycling, so the move to EPR does not create the same cost savings there. Recycling services in these communities are being expanded through the EPR program, and residential garbage collection will continue through the existing bagged collection model. 

Garbage collection schedules are not affected by this change. Residents receiving cart service can continue to place their black carts out as usual  

For more information on recycling under EPR, recycling collection schedules, and what goes in your recycling cart, visit circularmaterials.ca/ab.  

For information on garbage collection and landfill fees, visit rmwb.ca/garbage or call Pulse at 780-743-7000 or 1-800-973-9663.   

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