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Metro Vancouver considers liquid waste disposal rate increase. Here's what you need to know

Fee increases for septic tank pumping could take effect as early as March.
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Ace Tank Services has been serving area business owners and homeowners with septic, hydro-vac and semi-vac services for over 50 years.

Metro Vancouver is considering trucked liquid waste fee increases for domestic and non-domestic waste discharges at its trucked liquid waste facilities, including the Iona Island, Annacis Island and Northwest Langley wastewater treatment plants.

For businesses in waste management, the rate adjustments could mean higher disposal costs, which are passed on to customers.

“If the proposed fees are approved, the standard rate could more than double for homeowners," says Lee Selzer, owner of Ace Tank Services.

Ace Tank Services has been serving area business owners and homeowners with septic, hydro-vac and semi-vac services for over 50 years and Selzer says such significant increases are a first.

In 2021, Metro Vancouver introduced a phased approach to rate increases for trucked liquid waste. The plan aimed to gradually raise disposal rates by over 400 per cent over five years for domestic waste, to align with the region's long-term waste management goals and financial sustainability.

However, in November 2024, a proposed amendment accelerated the rate increases for domestic waste removal suggesting a further increase of another 70 per cent on top of the original increase as early as Jan. 1, 2025. This would be a total 766 per cent increase in disposal fees from 2021.

"The new proposed fees would allow Metro Vancouver to fully recover all costs associated with its trucked liquid waste program," Metro Vancouver's October 2024 Liquid Waste newsletter said.   

In November, Ace Tank Services and Mainland Tank Services provided feedback to the Metro Vancouver board stating that the extent of the rate increase in a single year was too significant. In response, revised fees are expected to be presented for consideration in early 2025.

"From 2012 to 2020 homeowners could always expect a fairly consistent rate to pump their septic tanks, but as of 2025 to inform our customers that the cost to pump their tank will have gone up over 750 per cent since then is extremely painful, and that kind of shock is hard for people to process. Some of our customers have sent passionate feedback directly to Metro Vancouver after we informed them via our newsletter."

The fee increases could take effect as early as March 2025, which could mean homeowners will have to dig deeper into their wallets the next time they need trucked waste removal. Metro Vancouver will soon provide a five-year rate forecast to allow the community to plan for future fee changes.

Those with questions or comments about the proposed fee changes can contact Metro Vancouver Regional District via their contact information at metrovancouver.org/services/liquid-waste or reach Ace Tank Services directly at admin@acetankservices.ca.