TBM To Expand Waste Collection Services

The Town of The Blue Mountains wants to make its waste collection bigger. They hope to raise the number of things that don't go to regular trash.

On May 16, council agreed with Manager Jeffery Fletcher's report on waste collection service improvements. These enhancements will be added to the Request for Proposal for waste collection.

Soon, the town will release a request for proposals for waste collection. In July, they will choose a new contract. The current collection contract with Miller Waste will end in September. At that time, the town will no longer be in charge of blue box recycling collection.

The province ordered producers to handle blue box collection. The town is talking with CMO about a better system. Fletcher's report says Miller Waste will still collect blue box stuff until December 2025. This will help make the shift easier.

Fletcher wants the town to divert more waste. They want to collect more things. There will be more leaf and yard waste collection. It will be 12 weeks instead of eight. They will collect more recycling and organic waste from some businesses. They will also collect textiles and electronic waste from curbsides.

The town wanted to divert 60% of their waste by 2015.

Fletcher said, "With textiles, we hope to exceed 60%."

The town is asking companies bidding on the contract to suggest how they could use electric vehicles. This lets the town think about growing its own infrastructure.

Fletcher said we can finally get our own level three charger. It's a chance to make progress.

Gail Ardiel, the council member, asked about the town's collection program. She wanted to know if the town considered using a cart/bin system. The Municipality of Grey Highlands already used this system earlier in the year.

Fletcher said the town won't use carts or bins. A company bidding on collection could still use them.

Fletcher said they are open to proposals for carts. The council will need to decide on whether or not to move to carts. It won't happen by October.

The report says the waste collection bylaw will change. The new bylaw will replace the old one. The council talked about the new bylaw. They were surprised about one thing. Illegal dumping will cost people $4,000.

Shawn McKinlay, a council member, questioned if $4,000 was sufficient.

Illegal dumping makes me angry. I am happy that we're giving big fines. McKinlay says $4,000 is good, but I want more. We need to set a limit.

Fletcher thinks the fine for illegal dumping should be fair. This will help the courts enforce it.

"He said the fine should be fair, not too high."

The report got voted 7-0 by the council. They approved it.

Chris Fell works as a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for CollingwoodToday.ca.