Committee approves proposed bi-weekly garbage pickup
Posted Apr 11, 2011 04:39:27 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The city’s environment committee has decided that Ottawa city council should approve the switch to bi-weekly garbage pick-up starting in June of 2012.
The committee met today and voted 7-1 in favour of the proposal. The decision comes after several public consultations and pilot projects. The changes are expected to save taxpayers $9 million a year for six years.
Kanata South Councillor Allan Hubley was the only member to vote against the staff report. He said he needs more information about a proposed special pick-up for diapers on weeks when the residual garbage isn’t picked up. The proposal would have parents of young children and adults who use incontinence products self-identify annually if they require the special service.
Hubley said this violates people’s privacy and he said his residents are concerned that the smell would become overwhelming in the summer. He said unless he gets more details, like what kind of trucks would be used and how people’s privacy would be protected, he can’t support the move.
He also said there are better ways to save the $9 million aside from attacking core services.
But Capital Ward Councillor David Chernushenko said this isn’t an attack on core services, but rather a change. He added that any time there is a major change there is opposition but the committee feels this change is designed based on merit, not ideology, and many people will feel the benefits over time.
Committee Chair Maria McRae said the success of the project lies in effective education to make sure that all of Ottawa knows not only how the system will work but also what they can do to make sure they see the benefits.
City council meets Wednesday when the environment committee will recommend it votes to implement bi-weekly garbage pick-up. A vote in favour would also mean that the green bin program is made universal for rural and high-rise buildings and would be done weekly all over the city.
