The Yukon government will be charging tipping fees, which cover a small portion of waste management costs, for the first time at three rural solid waste facilities: Destruction Bay, Pelly Crossing and Champagne. A press release notes that attendants will be on hand in Pelly Crossing on April 1 to help users, while Destruction Bay and Champagne already have attendants in place. The updated fee schedule takes effect May 1 at Deep Creek, Carcross, Mt. Lorne, Marsh Lake and Tagish solid waste facilities, which have had fees in place since 2020, as noted in the release. The Yukon government website notes “all facilities will eventually have tipping fees” but doesn’t say by when. John Tonin, who works in communications for Community Services, said there are no tipping fees at Beaver Creek, Old Crow and Ross River at this time. The new fees were set to start April 1 but were delayed by a month, starting May 1. Laura Seeley in cabinet communications said a cabinet committee on legislation (within the Yukon government) made the decision to postpone the fees by a month on March 20. In the legislative assembly on March 27, after the decision had been made, Wade Istchenko, the Yukon Party MLA for Kluane, asked Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn about postponing the fees, citing poor communications. Despite Mostyn mentioning that he had just signed off on a one-month holiday earlier that day, the Yukon Party issued a press release taking credit for the government implementing the delay at the urging of the Official Opposition. Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
Yukon government delays new tipping fees at 3 solid waste facilities
