Hamilton city councillors reject idea of biweekly garbage pickup - again

Hamilton city councillorshave rejected another shot at making garbage collection a biweekly affair.

City council's public works committee voted 5-4 Monday not to include a biweekly option when it asks companies to submit their proposals to do Hamilton's garbage pickup.

John-Paul Danko, Ward 8 councillor, proposed having operatorssubmit a bid that includes picking up garbage every two weeks. That means they would have provided cost estimates for picking up two bags every two weeks, as well as forthe current system of one bag a week, so the city council could compare prices.

Danko's proposal still included weekly blue box and green bin collection. Garbage pickup every two weeks, he said, would likely save money and encourage people to produce less waste.

But five of the nine councillors voting Monday said they weren't interested.

Chad Collins, Ward 5 councillor, said the city needs to save money, but he isn't willing to sacrifice on garbage pickup. He'd rather see focus on improving recycling and waste collection amongindustriesand multi-residential properties, where cross-contamination between recycling and garbage is a bigger issue.

Garbage collection every two weeks, he said, would punish single-family homeowners who are doing things right.

"We continue to go back to the same people who are complying," he said.

"There are many more areas to look at [to save money]instead of cutting frontline services to people I will not support going back to the same constituency and asking them to do even more when they've already done their part."

Jason Farr, Ward 2 councillor, wanted to look at it. Hamilton declared a climate emergency this year, he said. Pricing less frequent collection would show it was serious.

"We know there will be savings," he said of biweekly collection. But without putting it out to tender, "we don't know how significant those savings will be."

Danko said Hamilton's efforts to reduce the amount of garbage going to landfill have stagnated. Neighbouring municipalities, like Burlington and Niagara, have gone to biweekly garbage pickup, he said.

The vote, which still has to be ratified by city council next week, was likely the last opportunity for a while. Whoever it awards the tender to will collect Hamilton garbage from 2021 to 2028.

The issue of less frequent collection has come up at least three times since 2007.

How they voted

In favour of including biweekly collection in the tender:

Jason Farr (Ward 2), Nrinder Nann (3), John-Paul Danko (8), Maria Pearson (10).

Opposed:

Sam Merulla (4), Chad Collins (6), Esther Pauls (7), Lloyd Ferguson (12), Terry Whitehead (14).