Pay as you snow: Edmonton considers fees for dumping snow and ice

Dumping snow without charge at Edmonton's four snow storage sites could eventually come to an end as the city considers charging fees to private citizens and contractors.

The city auditor recommended the park and roads branch find ways to save money and generate revenue within its snow and ice clearing program. 

At a meeting Monday, council's audit committee reviewed an update from the auditor, showing the city is looking at imposing tipping fees as a way to do this. 

There's currently no tipping fee to offload snow and ice at the city's four public locations — Ellerslie, 17th Street, Horsehills and Poundmaker.

Of the materials dumped at these sites, 80 to 90 per cent is from private services such as local businesses, contractors and other municipalities, a city report shows.

"It's from private companies and parking lots and whatnot, and I was surprised that there really is nothing in place to charge those private companies for that," Jo-Anne Wright, councillor for Ward Sspomitapi, told CBC News Monday.  

It costs the city $3.2 million a year to manage these sites, an audit report from February 2021 shows. 

• Edmonton's snow and ice clearing lacks consistency, audit says

It's not clear how much the city could make if they started charging people to dump snow. 

Gord Cebryk, manager of city operations, said his teams are assessing the technology and infrastructure needed before the city can impose tipping fees. 

"We identified … that there are opportunities to charge third-party users of our snow storage sites," Cebryk said. "We need to have the access controls in place and the tracking systems so that we can actually bill people as they come and go."

The on-site technology may include an automated method to digitally identify the user and the amount of snow being dumped, the city says.

Councillor torn

Andrew Knack, councillor for Ward Nakota Isga, said removing snow free of charge is a perk of a winter city.

"I'm torn, because I think there's a case to be made by not having any fee to rid of the snow," he said in an interview Monday. "That encourages people to maintain their properties to I think the high standards that we expect." 

On the other hand, the city is constantly under budgetary restraints, Knack said, so charging tipping fees for snow disposal would be one way to help recuperate the cost of providing services. 

"Should that not be the cost of doing business for companies that remove snow? We are providing a pretty important service," he said.  

Knack said snow-tipping fees would work in a similar way to how the city charges fees for waste disposal. 

• Edmonton considers spending millions more on snow clearing
• 'We need to do a better job': Edmonton councillor calls for improved snow clearing

Mark Beare, director of infrastructure operations, said it's common for major municipalities to charge fees for dumping snow.

Administration will look at what other jurisdictions do before reporting options for council to consider, Beare said in an email statement Monday.

"We are aware this will impact many users of our snow dumps, which include private businesses, so these decisions will be made with plenty of public engagement and notice."

The city has used designated sites for stockpiling snow for at least 30 years.

The city's fifth site, at Kennedale, has been shut down since 2020 because of environmental concerns. 

"Site infrastructure upgrades would be required before administration can resume usage," the city report says.

Sites must adhere to federal and provincial criteria and guidelines and be assessed and designed accordingly to ensure proper containment and drainage.