Saskatoon company banned from landfill as city investigates alleged fraud

The City of Saskatoon is investigating allegations of fraud at the landfill.

In a letter obtained by 650 CKOM dated Oct. 26, the city accused Saskatoon company, Elvis’ Yardcare, of declaring loads of waste as dirt in order to avoid paying fees.

According to the letter, the company has been permanently banned from using the landfill.

Company owner Elvis Vranjes confirmed the ban, but said he wasn’t told why it was imposed.

“I’ve been just ordered not to come there. Like, they didn’t even ask me a single question,” he said.

Asked whether he ever ducked costs by claiming a load was clean fill when it wasn’t, Vranjes said he’s paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in landfill fees since going into business in the early 2000s. 

Although he denied any wrongdoing, Vranjes said he has little choice but to abide by the ban.

“What they assume, they assume. I don’t want to argue, I don’t want to create a conflict,” he said.

While the city’s letter doesn’t mention a specific dollar amount, a source told 650 CKOM the alleged fraud could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and that a number of landfull employees were suspended pending the investigation.

Saskatoon police said the matter has yet to be referred to them.

Jeff Jorgenson, the city’s general manager of transportation and utilities, declined to be interviewed in an emailed statement.

“The city is currently performing its full due diligence and investigating an issue at the Saskatoon Landfill regarding the payment of landfill tipping fees. In order to maintain the integrity of the investigation and any action arising out of that investigation, the city will have to decline interviews at this time,” he wrote.

When asked if the investigation includes city employees, Jorgenson wrote, “The investigation is thorough and all-encompassing.”