The Town of Battleford has approved mandatory curbside recycling.
A motion to approve a three-year agreement with Loraas Environmental Services Ltd. was approved unanimously at council Monday. As well, a bylaw was passed to enter into an agreement with Loraas regarding curbside recycling and all readings passed at council unanimously.
There had been curbside recycling available in the town already to residents who had a contract, but this will be mandatory to all residents.
It coincides with the launch of a new multi-material waste program in the province where municipalities receive compensation for recycled materials. According to town administrator John Enns-Wind, this made it a good time for Battleford to begin mandatory recycling.
According to a memo by Enns-Wind to council, the benefits included revenue from recycled material, as well as reducing material going to the landfill and thereby reducing those costs as well.
The idea had been discussed for a long time, including during budget deliberations this year.
An RFP was issued, which closed at the end of July.
Three submissions came back, but Loraas was seen as the clear winner for level of service and better fees; they also made an offer to purchase the existing recycling bins of the town.
Those bins will be taken out of service and are located near the public works and Ag Canada buildings.
Town administrator John Enns-Wind told council that, if approved, Loraas would immediately order the curbside bins which are expected to arrive in six weeks. There are plans to communicate to all Battleford residents how curbside recycling will work, and to work with current customers as well. Those already with a contract with Loraas will not be double billed.
The cost will be $5.25 a month, “which is substantially less than the residents who have chosen to enter into agreements with Loraas right now,” said Mayor Derek Mahon to reporters.
He said a lot of other municipalities have switched to mandatory recycling and noted the benefits of it.
“I think there will be long-term cost-savings with the landfill fees, and just keep products out of the landfill that could be recycled,” said Mahon. “It’s a good program and there are benefits to the community overall.”
