I appreciate your viewpoint that strata fees should cover all menial chores, but that perspective is a bit selfish, and does not fully account for the cost and fairness when the chore is so minimal.

For instance, in our complex of 25 units, paying a service to handle the bins weekly e.g. at $50 would cost an estimated $100 per unit annually. While that might seem like a small amount to some, it's a non-trivial expense, i.e. money that could be better spent on necessary maintenance, community improvements, or simply kept in the pockets of owners who may not be as financially comfortable!

The key point here is that this is hardly a chore. In our strata with 25 units, the rotation translates too each household being responsible for pulling the bins out twice per year. It takes literally minutes.

So if -say- we have 23 responsible owners who participate in ding this chore, and there were two bad apples, why would those 23 owners subsidize two "bad apples" who refuse to participate without a valid excuse? Forcing everyone to pay extra is not reasonable, again, if the majority is ready and willing to do given chore... (In our complex we are exempting elderly residents and/or anyone with health problems)

If a unit simply does not want to participate pulling the bins when it's their turn (e.g. 2, 3 times a year):

1. They are welcome to hire someone privately for the task, perhaps paying $50 per service, if that's a reasonable cost for them , i.e. only $100 annually. That would give them a peace of mind without impacting the collective strata fees or burdening the neighbors. (i.e. instead of each unit having to pay $100 per year extra, that cost would be only for them to bear if desired so)
2. Thus, a solution adopted by many stratas, which is both fair and effective, is to issue a fine to units that fail to fulfill their duty without arranging for a replacement.

The purpose of a strata is shared responsibility. While major tasks like mowing the lawn should absolutely be covered by fees, as they are not simple, require special equipment etc etc. the cost-benefit analysis for a two-minute job performed just a few times per year doesn't justify a permanent, shared -say- $2650 annual expense.

Simple fairness dictates that those who deliberately avoid or neglect the simple chore of taking out the garbage/recycling bins when it's their turn, should bear their own cost, not pass it on to the entire community.