Changes to Hay River Residential Solid Waste Management

Solid Waste Processing Levies

As part of a transition to a solid waste cost recovery model, on March 10, 2025, the Town of Hay River Council passed first and second reading of the Waste Management Bylaw and the Fees and Charges Bylaw. The bylaws would implement solid waste processing levies on residents’ monthly utility invoices, beginning April 1, 2025. The levies are intended to cover a portion of costs associated with managing and processing residential waste such as maintenance and operations at the landfill, waste diversion and recycling, equipment purchase, waste collection (where applicable), and to fund reserves used for landfill site closure and new construction.

Like residential water bills, in moving to a cost-recovery model, residents would no longer cover the associated waste processing costs through their property taxes. This change aims to provide residents with clearer, more transparent information about the cost of waste management and to support improved decision making. Solid waste levies are commonplace in municipalities. 

Solid waste processing levies for 2025 have been set at $18 per month for all residential properties receiving curbside pickup from Hay River Disposals and $8 per month for residential properties in the Corridor – south of junction of Highway #2 and #5 – who do not receive curbside pickup. All residents with utility accounts will see these levies appearing on their Town of Hay River utility invoice for the month of April.

Residential Curbside Cart Program

To reduce waste collection costs and progress sustainable waste management practices, the Town of Hay River is introducing a new Curbside Cart Program for residential solid waste collection. As part of this initiative, each household will receive a 240L (64-gallon) cart for waste disposal. These carts are designed to work with the upgraded automated waste collection trucks operated by Hay River Disposals.

Hay River Disposals will only collect solid waste from the designated carts. Solid waste will no longer be collected from privately-owned bins or installed boxes. In addition, only items which fit inside the cart will be collected. Any items left outside the cart – such as cardboard boxes – will not be collected.

For more information on how to properly use the Curbside Carts, residents are encouraged to visit the Town’s website at https://hayriver.com/hay-river-curbside-cart-program-and-solid-waste-processing-updates/. A brochure with more information will also be sent out with monthly utility invoices in April.

While the new carts will bring a more standardized collection process, residents will experience little change in how their waste is collected. Residents of Mile 5 will begin receiving two garbage pickups per week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

A schedule for the delivery of the carts will be announced in early April.

For more information on the Solid Waste Processing Levies and the new Curbside Cart program, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions, residents are encouraged to visit the Town of Hay River website at https://hayriver.com/hay-river-curbside-cart-program-and-solid-waste-processing-updates/

Residents are also invited to attend a public information session on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Hay River Community Centre to learn more about the changes.