Industry experts critical of city’s 25-year waste plan

Correction:

CTV News incorrectly suggested that starting October 1^st, the City would stop operating waste trucks. In fact, the change would only be to commercial collections. The City will continue to manage residential collections. CTV regrets the error and has removed the erroneous report.  

The City of Edmonton is laying out an expensive path forward for waste management. 

Councillors are being presented with a 25-year plan to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill at a special Utility Committee meeting Thursday morning at City Hall.

It involves changing the way Edmontonians sort garbage at home, building a new composter at the city’s waste management site, and possible restrictions on single use plastics like straws and shopping bags.

A few speakers at the meeting believe the city should leave waste collection and management to the private sector. 

“I think the general theme has been that when the city tries to do something, they fail at it,” Chris LaBoissiere with Local Waste Services told the committee.

The city’s 25-year plan will likely mean utility rate increases at least until 2022.

Any decision will need to be ratified by City Council.