Calgary’s green cart collection program could be scaled back next winter.
On Wednesday, the Utilities and Corporate Services Committee approved administration’s request for a reduced collection schedule.
It would mean green carts would only be collected every other week throughout the winter months – with the new “winter schedule” coming into effect in November 2018.
Reduced collection would last until April.
One Calgarian who regularly uses her green cart said Wednesday she would support the move.
“We don’t even put ours out every week,” Catherine Hesketh said.
“We could probably put it out once a month in the winter – without grass clippings and stuff.”
The city’s director of waste and recycling, Rick Valdarchi, said he expects about 30 positions will be affected by the changes.
He hopes a number of those positions will be dealt with through attrition.
“We will be reducing the complement of our staff through the winter and when we return to weekly collection of that program in the spring, we will obviously bring on more seasonal workers to drive those vehicles as we go to the summer collection schedule,” he said.
Administration said the city has already seen a dramatic reduction in organic material over the winter – with 12,000 tonnes collected in October 2017 and only 5,000 tonnes in December 2017. Officials said the city could save money by scaling back collection.
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Valdarchi said he expects to save about $2 million in labour and fuel costs.
The recommendation still has to be voted on by council.
– With files from Aurelio Perri and Joel Senick