Essa can’t contract its own waste services

“I think people are now realizing it’s a bigger issue…a lot of municipalities are only realizing it a week before the contract is changing over,” he said.

Dowdall used today’s meeting (March 26) to ask if the township had the authority to contract its own waste collection services. The township is unhappy with changes coming into effect next week (April 1) for the county’s waste collection program, including the move to charge residents based on property assessment and the removal of the township’s landfill voucher system.

As it stands, Simcoe County director of Solid Waste Management Rob McCullough said Essa must continue to use the county program.

“The responsibility for residential waste management resides solely with the County of Simcoe,” he said. “That’s not to say they couldn’t make a proposal and county council agree or disagree. But no, they don’t have the power or authority to go out and negotiate or sign contracts with anyone.”

Simcoe County is touting that the changes to the waste program will provide better, more uniform services across the county, resulting in $2.1 million in annual savings.

While Dowdall said there are many positives to the program, like its focus on landfill diversion, he said there were oversights made along the way by both county council and staff.

The changes will also now give businesses and condo units limited collection service.

But Dowdall thinks it’s unfair businesses or condos will be charged for waste services through the new assessment method. He said many won’t be able to use the collection system because they produce too much waste and will have to continue using private collectors.

“These things should have been looked at earlier,” he said. “The bottom line is if you can’t use the service, you shouldn’t have to pay for it.”

In Essa, the removal of the township’s landfill voucher system is also irking residents.

The county has replaced this with a new call-in bulk waste disposal service where residents will be able to dispose up to five items at a user-pay cost of $35.

But Dowdall believes this new system will end up being more expensive and will ultimately discourage residents from using landfills.

“I have heard from quite a few residents who are upset they don’t have that available anymore and concerns they might just throw away the garbage on the way to the landfill,” he said.

At today’s county council meeting, Dowdall said New Tecumseth and Ramara Township also raised concerns about the changes.

New Tecumseth Mayor Mike MacEachern cited an issue about a 40-plus unit apartment complex in Tottenham that won’t be able to use the county services.

McCullough pointed out that county council asked for these changes.

“We’re going around in a truck that was meant to collect waste from single family residents, that’s what we set up our whole system to service, because that’s what we are legislated to set up for that service,” McCullough said. “County council went further, saying we’d like to provide service to commercial locations and residential locations…like a townhouse complex that we can get in a service like any other single family unit.

“The services have been enhanced so every commercial location will receive a county level of service, but it is limited to was a regular single family house would generally set out. So they set limits around that.”

County staff were asked to bring a report to an upcoming corporate services meeting that will show the impact to the municipalities from the change in services.

Warden Cal Patterson admitted things aren’t perfect, but for the most part are working quite well.

“I’d say 98 per cent of all the residents are thrilled with the new system, there might be two per cent who are not at this point,” Patterson said. “I think it’s partially education, and some are unusual situations we will look at.”