Article content Gordon MacDonald, CBRM District 1 councillor: “I think it’s a good idea. I think the concept is great. But just not this year — maybe next year.” Photo by IAN NATHANSON/CAPE BRETON POST FILEArticle content‘REUSE, DIVERT, RECYCLE’Article contentWhen MacNeil first brought forth the idea back in May, the District 8 councillor said the intention to hold a formally organized “curbside giveaway” was sparked from numerous calls he received after the municipality’s changeover to the call-to-haul program.Article content“When we decided to make the change from heavy garbage to call to haul, one of the recurring phone calls I got was the aspect of being able to reuse, divert and recycle people’s old materials,” he told council at the time.Article content“I’ve heard from so many people in District 8 that really look forward to this time of year (for heavy garbage), and not for the garbage going to the transfer centre, but to be able to reuse and repurpose things.”Article contentWhile heavy garbage collections were considered for years a popular way for some CBRM residents to seek out potentially reusable furniture finds, the cost to handle last year’s pickup spiked to $1 million.Article contentLooking to help keep the cash-strapped municipality on budget, the CBRM’s public works department opted to change over to a call-to-haul program — popular in many municipalities outside of Cape Breton but a first for the CBRM.Article contentArticle contentSTAFF RECOMMENDATIONArticle contentAt a July 2 council meeting, municipal clerk Christa Dicks brought back a staff recommendation for MacNeil’s idea.Article content“The intent of the pilot is to support waste diversion and reuse by encouraging residents to place reusable household items at the curb, so that other residents may collect them at no cost,” she told council. “It is important to note that this is not proposed as a heavy garbage program, and no special municipal collection stream is proposed.Article content“The report review comparator programs in the Halifax Regional Municipality, the City of Ottawa, and the City of Markham (in Ontario). These programs generally rely on clear public education, defined cleanup deadlines, residents marking items as free and, in some cases, optional mapping or promotional tools for the CBRM.Article content Steven MacNeil, CBRM District 8 councillor: “Having the program started in 2027 would be something I’d be happy to support.” Photo by IAN NATHANSON/CAPE BRETON POST FILEArticle content“The proposed pilot would be municipality-wide, held over a Saturday and Sunday in fall 2026, with residents able to place reusable items curbside beginning Friday evening. Any remaining items would need to be removed by 7 p.m. on Sunday. Communications would be essential to the success of the pilot.”Article contentArticle content‘JUST NOT THIS YEAR’Article contentWhen the curbside giveaway weekend was first proposed in May, some councillors had initial doubts whether residents might confuse the curbside giveaway weekend with an unintended return to heavy garbage pickup.Article contentMore doubts were raised on July 2, when the staff suggestion of how the curbside giveaway weekend idea would play out, given how residents are dealing with the call-to-haul program, according to District 1’s Gordon MacDonald.Article content“I think it’s a good idea. I think the concept is great,” MacDonald told council of the curbside giveaway weekend proposal. “But just not this year — maybe next year, because (the new) call-to-haul (program) will be much better managed.”Article contentHearing the responses from his fellow councillors, MacNeil conceded to having the idea deferred to 2027.Article content“I would like to trust our residents to be able to do this program, to be able to bring the garbage to curb, have it not be picked up and brought back,” MacNeil said. “I do believe that in them, and that we would be able to do that, and anything we can do to divert garbage away from our landfills would be a huge benefit.Article content“But that being said, we are still experiencing some growing pains in solid waste, and having the program started in 2027 would be something I’d be happy to support.”Article content
Proposed curbside giveaway weekend event for bulk items deferred, CBRM says
