Moncton’s curbside pick up to be partially privatized

Some Moncton residents will soon see different trucks pulling up to collect their curbside garbage.

On Monday, the city voted to subcontract some of the work to a private contractor, which will be responsible for almost 3,400 of the city’s 24,000 weekly garbage pickups.

Don Morehouse, director of public works with the city, said there were a couple factors that influenced the decision.

READ MORE: For Moncton’s Eco360 recycling revenue is up and a power generator is on track

“Go to the marketplace and see what kind of cost to service would be if it was done by a private company,” Morehouse said. “We’re really trying to understand that garbage needs to be collect in a different way to make it cost competitive and sustainable.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Go to the marketplace and see what kind of cost to service would be if it was done by a private company," Morehouse said. "We're really trying to understand that garbage needs to be collect in a different way to make it cost competitive and sustainable."

He adds that the contract will result in some savings, but that other factors need to be addressed.

“There is hidden cost that we’re trying to really narrow down: injury cost, breakdowns for delay in the service, those are all the things we have to look at,” Morehouse added.

Moncton city councillor Charles Léger proposed that the contract be a one year pilot project and hopes that the city can learn better and more effective ways to collect garbage, as it has done with other models.

“Take our snow removal. Eighty per cent of our snow removal is done in house and we’ve had a really good relationship that way,” Leger said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Take our snow removal. Eighty per cent of our snow removal is done in house and we've had a really good relationship that way," Leger said.

The union representing the workers, however, say this push toward privatization can be worrisome.

“If I was a private contractor, I would low ball the tender and take a loss for a couple of years, then when I get the full contract, I’m in the driver’s seat because municipalities get rid of their assets, machinery, workers,” CUPE NB president Danny Légère said. “What we see after three, four, five years, the rates start going up.”

READ MORE: Moncton traditional scout leader fed up with garbage along Petitcodiac River

The city has had challenges with staffing the seven full­-time positions, where it’s one employee to one garbage truck.

One of the major concerns is on -the-­job injuries, which is something Morehouse says citizens can help with.

“How you package your glass or your needles or where you set your bags, so the collector can reach it in a convenient way, these are all things we find contribute to injuries,” Morehouse concluded.