Richmond residents will be digging deeper into their tax pockets next year, with rates for water, sewer, garbage and recycling set to rise.
The owner of a nonmetered single family home will likely pay up to $79 extra in utilities after new rates were approved by a city council committee this week.
Should they be set in stone at the next full council meeting, the new rates translate for the abovenamed category into a 6.6 per cent increase to $1,271.86.
Increases for other nonmetered categories include:
- Townhouse (which is on city garbage pickup): $1,071.25 ($66.66);
- Townhouse: $959.91 ($62.03);
- Apartment: $732.13 ($48.25).
Homes that are on meters and with average water/sewer use can expect the following increases:
- Single family home: $896.77 ($63.13);
- Townhouse (on city garbage): $771.22 ($55.14);
- Townhouse: $659.88 ($50.51);
- Apartment: $495.51 ($38.22).
As has been the case in recent years, regional costs - out of the control of the city - are to blame for the majority of the rate increases.
Indeed, Metro Vancouver increases for water, sewer treatment and tipping account for around 60 per cent the utility cost rise.
