Town of St. Paul increases fees for services and lowers water and sewer levies

Residents in the town of St. Paul will soon see an increase in fees for several services following discussions at the regular council meeting on August 28. The town council decided to raise fees, which have not been increased since 2017, due to rising costs.  

The new fee structure includes:  

Plugged Sewer (Power Snake): Increase from $225 to $300 per hour on weekdays, and from $355 to $400 after hours.  

Frozen Sewer (Steamer) and Kwik Freeze Water Services: Increase from $255 to $275 per hour on weekdays, and from $355 to $375.  

Frozen Water (Magikist): Increase from $255 to $300 per hour on weekdays, and from $355 to $400 after hours.  

Turn Water On/Off: Increase from $85 to $90 per hour on weekdays, and from $118 to $120 after hours.  

Camera Sewer Service: Increase from $305 to $350 per hour on weekdays; service not allowed after hours.  

Street Sweeper: Now set at $225 per hour, not available after hours.  

Hydro Excavator (Vactor): Increase from $250 to $300 per hour on weekdays, and from $350 to $400 after hours.  

Grader 140M: New rate is $224 per hour, up from $215. 

Snow Blower Attachment: Increase from $290 to $300 per hour.  

Crushed Concrete: Increase from $15 to $22 per yard if the customer picks up the load at the Transfer Station, and $250 per load if delivered within town limits.  

Mayor Maureen Miller asked Director of Public Works Michael Landry about the reasons for the proposed increases. Landry explained that the cost of materials and repairs had risen significantly, and the current fees were not sufficient to cover those expenses. Additionally, he noted that some equipment was reaching the end of its lifespan, and the town needed to save for future replacements.  

There was also discussion about the inclusion of brand names in the proposed fee schedule, such as Vactor for the hydro excavator. Councilor Nathan Taylor said it was fair to include brand names, suggesting different brands might have different costs. Taylor also inquired whether the town rents out its equipment, to which CAO Steven Jeffery confirmed that it does not.  

Following these discussions, Taylor moved to amend the fees, and the motion was carried out.  

In the same council meeting, the town of St. Paul decided to lower the newly implemented water and sewer capital replacement levies. Initially set at $17 for water and $9 for wastewater, the levies were made effective on July 8. However, after receiving community feedback, Mayor Miller suggested that the initial rates might have been too high.  

The council revisited the bylaw on August 12 and directed the administration to propose new rates. On August 26, the administration recommended reducing the water levy from $17 to $7 per month starting September 1, with a planned increase to $10 by January 1, 2026. The sewer levy would be reduced from $9 to $3.50 per month, also starting September 1, before increasing to $5 by January 1, 2026.  

With no further discussion, the council passed the second and third readings of the revised bylaw, enacting the new levy rates.