The province has delayed the Multi Material Recycling Program that was due to begin Jan. 1.
A letter from Environment Minister Scott Moe from Jan. 14 confirmed the delay and was circulated to North Battleford city council Monday.
The program is meant to support communities in Saskatchewan to establish new recycling programs.
But Moe noted there had been “substantial concern and confusion” surrounding the program and noted only 370 businesses had signed up. “With less than 25 per cent of businesses participating, the long-term success of the program was far from certain,” Moe’s correspondence stated.
Therefore, program changes were being brought in. Among the changes announced by the province in a news release on Dec. 18 were exemptions for some small businesses, a two-year temporary transition exemption for businesses whose annual revenue is between $2 and $5 million, as well as for all larger newspapers; establishment of a working group to identify further program adjustments during a two-year transition period and reallocation of $500,000 to help municipalities cover costs of recycling over the same period.
While the province reiterates their commitment to roll out the program in 2015 it is on hold for likely a few months until the changes are completed, something that disappoints City Manager Jim Puffalt, who noted this program has been in the works for 10 years.
"We’re quite disappointed the project has been placed on hold," said Puffalt, noting the issue has been discussed for what "seems like almost forever."
A frustrated-looking Mayor Ian Hamilton reacted to the delay at council by saying “here we go again.”
