Bi-weekly garbage pick-up will begin in fall 2012, after city council overwhelmingly approved the plan on Wednesday.
The vote passed by 18-4. Those opposed to the plan were: Coun. Doug Thompson, Coun. Bob Monette, Coun. Stephen Blais and Coun. Allan Hubley.
The change will see garbage picked up once every two weeks, while green bins will be picked up every week. Recycling service will stay the same.
The move is projected to save the city $9 million per year for the next six years.
Mayor Jim Watson reacted to opposition to the plan Wednesday, saying bi-weekly garbage service is in the best interest of the taxpayer.
"I've heard people say we're forcing it down your throats. If you don't want to use the green bin, you don't have to use the green bin," Watson said.
"But it's in your own self interest as taxpayers and as people who want to protect our environment and who want to make sure we don't have to go on that agonizing journey of finding a new landfill."
Diaper service will also be made available for those who want it. That service will operate on the weeks garbage is not picked up.
Although the city originally wanted to start bi-weekly garbage service in June of next year, the changes won't roll out until November 2012.
A motion to continue to pick up garbage every week in the summer was defeated.
