Guelph moving ahead with 11 recommendations in solid waste review

In a unanimous decision, 11 recommendations outlined in a review of Guelph’s solid waste services have been approved by city council.

Among other things, Monday night’s decision paves the way for expanded yard waste pickup with staff recommending to increase the service from twice per year to biweekly collection from April to the end of November.

That recommendation will still need to go through the 2019 budget process and is expected to cost $480,000 annually.

The report also suggests increasing the lifespan of the trucks from seven to 10 years and moving ahead with waste collection to apartments and condos which was approved in the 2018 budget.

The review began just over a year ago and Coun. Dan Gibson pointed out that $1 million in savings have been found.

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“We found those savings from within. That’s a good outcome for me,” he said during the meeting.

Share this on X Click to share quote on X: "We found those savings from within. That's a good outcome for me," he said during the meeting.

Mayor Cam Guthrie applauded the work that went into the service review.

“It’s interesting to hear the comments tonight from both our staff and the employees, and to reflect upon the comments that we heard originally back when service reviews were being contemplated,” he said while touching on the fears of privatization or comments that the review would be a waste of time and money.

“It’s just really interesting to me that some of the comments from a couple years ago to today are completely opposite to what was feared going into this process,” Guthrie added.

“I could not be happier with the outcome of what this is.”

Share this on X Click to share quote on X: "I could not be happier with the outcome of what this is."

Paul Clulow, president of CUPE 241, the union representing city workers, was happy to see privatization was not on the table.

“I’m pleased we’re going to move forward now in a way that can keep the materials recovery facility (MRF), which was a huge worry for the membership of removing it and privatizing it,” he said in an interview after council’s vote.

The review showed the MRF was actually costing the city about $2.5 million and 18 employees were laid off in March as a cost-saving measure.

Clulow added the facility can operate the way it is supposed to now that the city is out of a contract with Simcoe County to process their recyclables.

“Simcoe waste caused a lot of problems for our staff. They’re the lowest-paid workers in our bargaining unit and they’re feeling the brunt of a bad contract,” he said.

“I believe that the goal now is to focus on Guelph’s waste and do Guelph’s waste the way it was meant to do 20 years ago when the MRF was designed and built.”

Share this on X Click to share quote on X: "I believe that the goal now is to focus on Guelph's waste and do Guelph's waste the way it was meant to do 20 years ago when the MRF was designed and built."