Q11 - Will you support the introduction of a user pay system for curbside residual waste collection, where residents pay for the bags or containers that they put out for collection, according to the actual level of service that they use?

John Redins

No.

Hussein Mahmoud

Yes. While I agree that we need to encourage and expand the efficiency of our waste services for a greener waste disposal system, I recognize that a lot of families cannot take on an additional daily cost in the midst of an affordability crisis across the country. We need to ensure we are planning responsible to keep everyday costs low for families, to keep taxes low, and to reduce, not increase, their cost of living. I support finding other ways to encourage waste reduction, recycling and composting, and diverting from landfill that won't put the cost of it onto the backs of our residents

Taylor Houstoun

No. In many cases this, in fact, does Not help. In fact, this type of regime already encourages illegal dumping by corporations in ecologically sensitive areas. Moreover it will do the same to citizens. Or it will continue the problem I mentioned previously, where people throw out garbage into their recycled or composted materials, ruining any chance of properly recyling those materials.

And the only way to prevent this would be to put our waste disposal workers in charge of opening up and searching through waste as they're picking it up. Not only would this mean they effectively need to be empowered like city bylaw officers, but they would face increased health risks, and the city would need to spend significant sums of money on hiring them because a household will go from taking 20 seconds to service, to 10 minutes. 

It is an impractical idea to do this with a significant number of unforeseen consequences. Even if it were implemented, like other services like this, there would be no money for it to ever be enforced. 

More practically speaking, only a data driven plan that assessed disposal trends in a give neighbourhood and awarded tax susbsidies based on aggregate ratios of garbage, to recyclage, to compost would be feasible. This could be accompanied by a city-wide media effort discussing the tax reward for modified behaviour, encouraging homeowners to participate voluntarily and giving no way to cheat the system.

Ron Keays

Yes. I would support a plan that allows a minimal amount to residential waste, along the lines of 1 bag per household, to encourage more of our waste to be diverted to recycling and composting programs.

Aria Alavi

Did not participate.

Jessica Bradley

Did not participate.

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