There are limits to our planet’s resources, and dumping them into landfills leaves an impoverished legacy for future generations. Winnipeg has among the lowest rates of waste diversion in the country. It is an urgent task of our city government to increase recycling, composting and other waste reduction activities.
A report by the Winnipeg public service lays out a plan that could see waste diversion double over the next few years – not as far as we need to go, but a good start, nonetheless. The plan includes the creation of local recycling hubs, more e-waste drop-off depots, an end to autobins, a pilot program for picking up kitchen scraps and eventually a move towards full-scale compost pick-up. These are tried measures that have been successful in a number of municipalities across Canada.
This week, the plan hit a stumbling block regarding how it should be funded. The integrated waste management plan calls for a new fee of $50 per month to be added to household water bills. Half of the mayor’s inner circle, the Executive Policy Committee, voted against the plan, leaving in doubt whether Mayor Sam Katz has the support he needs to push the plan through council next week. Councillors Jeff Browaty, Scott Fielding and Paula Havixbeck voted against the plan, which was approved unanimously by the Public Works Committee that looked at the proposal last week. Fielding has suggested that the recycling plan should be funded from existing sources, meaning no new money for better programming. Sadly, these councillors give the impression that for them, the environment is not a priority worth paying for.
As well, several inner city councillors are balking at the plan because it imposes a regressive flat tax on households across the city. Certainly, there is an element of unfairness in a plan that sees households pay the same regardless of their ability to pay. As Canadian cities become more unequal, and poverty increases, these disparities are becoming more glaring. One method of addressing this inequality is to have different rates for households depending on how much they throw out. Green Action Centre has proposed that Winnipeg adopt the system used in Toronto whereby households can choose the size of bin they need, paying more for the larger bins, or even getting tax rebates if they choose the smallest bin. Such a system could give low income households an option to pay less, especially given that consumption and waste tend to correlate with income.
The Public Works Committee heard evidence that there may be technical difficulties implementing the multi-sized bin system in Winnipeg related to contamination of recycling or top-heavy bins falling over. These technical difficulties should not be insurmountable, and over time, solutions can be found. Meantime, it is worth remembering that at $50 dollars per household, the fee is cheap compared to the total cost of garbage collection and disposal. Toronto households pay up to three times as much.
As a community organization that has been working on waste reduction in Winnipeg for more than 25 years, we urge all councillors to support the current plan. For too long, the public service has been running catch-up attempting to negotiate multiple contracts in the absence of an integrated plan for waste. Last year, the City agreed to attempt to bring waste and recycling into the 21st century. After a year of consultations, city staff have developed a concrete and realistic plan for improving garbage, compost and recycling service.
Commending the current plan is its existing widespread support. The mayor and five councillors, Dan Vandal, Jenny Gerbasi, Devi Sharma, Grant Nordman and Justin Swandel, have already voted in favour of the plan. Among residents, a CJOB poll last month showed 50% of Winnipeggers support a $50 fee for improved garbage and recycling collection. When was the last time a majority of Winnipeggers showed support for any new fee? Consensus is difficult to achieve and requires compromise. It rests on the mayor now to reach out to undecided councillors to find ways they can support the plan.
There are many things to build on to improve it, but if we do not support the plan now, it may be years before a better one emerges. By then, the mess we will have left for others will be still bigger and costlier. Let’s get on with the clean up.
Read Green Action Centre’s submission to the Public Works Committee here.
My concerns about the `new system’ are simple. Those that don’t seperate garbage now will not when they have special containers. They will just dump everything in. Most people on my block do have blue boxes and use them, only a couple don’t and those are larger households. Then..If this system is to save money by re-directing from the landfill, why is there a $50 annual fee?? I can appreciate a start up fee to cover containers, but continuing fees?? Then, where do they expect me to store this monsters between pick up days?? I do not have space either in the garage, or on the parking spot in back. If I have to start hauling them in and out of the back yard, my mobility issues will make this difficult especially in winter. Also in winter, I have back lane pick up and the city does not clear the wind rows in back lanes across parking areas. Currently I also have a conceret and metal holder for two garbage cans, I guess, one container might fit there, but how am I suppose to get rid of the current holders?? Is the city going to do a one time removal of these or am I expected to hire someone to remove it??
I totally support a better system, I have concerns about put it in place and improve it as the transition time has many unanswered question. I have contacted 311 and my city consellor and have not really gotten any practical response.
I agree that we need to become motivated as a city to increase our recovery rates, not only as a city but as a province. The city plan is an attempt to clean-up thier act. The waste management plan needs a drastic overhaul and the contracts that are awarded to waste companies need to be taken into effect, how much accountabilty does the city take when they award large 14 year waste management plans, when they don’t do thier homework. The city’s only concern is the business side of things and when given a chance to do better they baulk at the deal. People need to realize the legacy that started many years ago and simply being a status quo province and city doesn’t cut it. We always pride ourselves on Philanropy and community Pride with Winnipeg but this is a black eye in our city and province. Because Manitoba is also impacted and if Wpg holds 67% of the provinces population. Manitoba is also behind on the times. So when we talk about Manitoba we also talk about Winnipeg as they account for alarge part of our waste and consumption. Proactive appraoches are needed to impact change, we are to re-actionary and if we can’t get accountability from councilors invovled, become invovled question your local government and get pressure on the current system. They are public servants that are held in trust with making decisions for us, that work for us, and not the select few. If the new tax is $50 I would pay just to see it done right. Because the problem stems from many years of neglect from all levels of government provincial, federal and municipal. We all need to take waste reduction and sustainable development seriously. More public accountability on behalf of city hall, they certainl;y need to explain why they voted “NO” and to let this go by is simply not acceptable. Shame on the councillors that don’t see the benefits and still think waste management is not important.
If they do not accept it, they should give reason’s why and also have an alternative plan, if they don’t accept this one. The time is now
Thank you from a concerned citizen