Concern over $5 Sudbury landfill user fee

A Sudbury city councillor says an internal memo about a new landfill user fee leaked to the public has prompted concern.

A Sudbury city councillor says an internal memo about a new landfill user fee leaked to the public has prompted concern.

Several Sudbury councillors told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in video interviews they were shocked to learn about a new $5 gate fee being implemented July 1 at the landfill through correspondence from staff.

Ward 5 Coun. Mike Parent and Ward 7 Coun. Natalie Labbee said they weren't aware of the change when they approved the city's 2024 budget.

Parent and Labbee both said staff had proposed the new fee, but it was rejected by council.

Parent said he went back to look at the 670 page budget document and found the new fee on page 633.

"In 2024, what appears to be is that it was bundled into a lot of fees without being explicit. So I don't think my peers are aware, like I wasn't, that this was included," he said, adding a new business case was not included as part of the discussion.

But a spokesperson for the city said councillors had been informed.