CBRM's on-again-off-again heavy garbage program is on again

Cape Breton Regional Municipality's on-again-off-again annual heavy garbage pickup is on again.

This spring program was put on hold because of concerns that it could encourage the spread of COVID-19. Then it appeared it would be cancelled altogether thanks to a projected budget shortfall that is now expected to top $4 million.

However, during a council meeting on Tuesday, Coun. Earlene MacMullin said it wouldn't be fair to cancel the program when residents have been told it's only being postponed.

"When people expect this to happen every year, we can't just rip the carpet out at the time it's supposed to happen," she said. "They deserve some notice and with the last few months that our residents and everybody has put in ... I think they deserve just to have the garbage picked up."

Solid waste manager Francis Campbell recommended council cancel the program this year, partly because the municipality can't afford the $250,000 cost with a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall and partly because of health concerns.

The program has been a huge hit with residents and businesses who put items too big and bulky for regular pickup at the curb to be hauled away.

It is seen as a bit of a recycling program, because residents often go through the piles of trash and salvage items that can be repaired or reused.

MacMullin said heavy garbage pickup has become a service that taxpayers expect every year.

"On a scale of one to 10 how important this is to my constituents to go forward with at this time, I'd say it's probably the top priority on what I deal with on a daily basis," she said.

Campbell said if council decided against cancelling the program, it should be run immediately.

Instead, councillors voted to hold off until September, believing there would be more material by then.

Coun. George MacDonald said people are already putting heavy garbage out at the curb.

"Hopefully they'll be all responsible, take it back, put it behind the barn and wait till the fall," he said.

Coun. Steve Gillespie, who has vocally opposed heavy garbage pickup, wasn't so sure.

"Yeah, like that's going to happen," he said. "Anyone that has already put their heavy garbage out, it's going to stay there and if we give them four months notice that this is going to happen in September, it's going to be non-stop garbage to everybody's corner all summer long."

In addition, said Gillespie, public health officials are saying there will be a second wave of COVID-19 in the fall. He asked what would happen if the province is in lockdown again.

"If we don't get that, that might be our only hope for a tourism season," said Gillespie.

Increased traffic at dump

Campbell said since the dump on SPAR Road in Sydney reopened, staff have noticed an increase in the number of residents bringing in their own heavy garbage.

Councillors voted to have staff plan to hold the program in September.

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