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Recently, my husband (who has been deceased for seven years) and I received an interesting communication from our esteemed municipal government of how we should behave with our garbage and recycle materials. As of Nov. 1, residents will be charged a waste management fee through a new utility bill (as if we didn't have enough expense and more paper to recycle.)

We must use the new garbage bin (which I haven't received). We can however use a regulation bag if the residents use the tags enclosed, each dated. If we wish more we can purchase them at Home Hardware stores at a cost of $3.10 each. These tags must be easily visible by the waste management crew and no other tags will be accepted.

As of Nov. 1, the three bins must be placed at the bottom of the drive 20 inches apart. This may create a challenge when residents try to get their car out of the drive.

These regulations are mandatory in order to receive the service that we are already paying for. Therefore some residents have a problem if they have not received their bins. I have been waiting since February for the blue and the grey bins. The city ran out before we could receive ours. The mayor is spending more money sending appointed officers to investigate the habits of residents in hopes of collecting fines for misbehaviour.

The more the residents do for the cause the more the residents are charged for the privilege of doing the city's work.Services have decreased over the years but it's costing more for the service. I can't wait until the mayor creates new depots for residents to deliver their own garbage and recycling.

Once again, residents are carrying the burden of both expense and regulations while apartments and condos, corporations and business establishments are not regulated and many have no recycling programs.

Firms continue to inundate us with plastic and excessive packaging to create unnecessary garbage and recyclables, but this matter is not addressed.

As I see it we are regulated and overcharged by a dysfunctional municipal government that is dictated by a choice few.

Louise Hart