Councillors question delayed removal of garbage truck

THUNDER BAY -- A projected saving of $150,000 a year as a result of changes in Thunder Bay's residential garbage collection system last year remains an elusive target.

The changes set to start in July, 2017 included reducing the garbage truck fleet from nine to eight, revamping collection routes through new software, and cutting the number of curbside garbage containers per household from three to two.

More than eight months later, nine trucks are still in service, so the anticipated saving has not materialized. Two city employees are assigned to each garbage truck.

Councillor Rebecca Johnson, clearly upset with the situation, raised the issue during debate on the 2018 municipal budget last week.

"It should have happened last year. So we have two individuals that we are (still) paying...my question is, are they gonna come off this year's budget?", Johnson asked.

The city's manager of infrastructure and operations, Kerri Marshall, replied that the city has "not filled or replaced through attrition two full-time positions within that area, so the staff is being filled through our relief patrol staff."

As the debate continued, Johnson said "I really want this (cut) to happen because if council made a decision, it should have occurred, and it didn't...I am very concerned about this. Every taxpayer should be. We're paying two people that we shouldn't be paying for."

Marshall told council that implementation of the changes has taken longer than expected. "We are transitioning our waste collection system to achieve the reduction that was identified in the 2017 budget," she said.

In an email to tbnewswatch.com, the city's manager of solid waste and recycling, Jason Sherband, described the project as "a complex undertaking," adding "we want to ensure we get it right. The bottom line is change takes time to implement."

Asked what the city would say to residents who may wonder why a reduction in garbage containers has not resulted in operating savings, Sherband said that reducing the limit to two containers or less is considered "a best practice" in Ontario, and that city residents have adjusted to the new system partly by increasing their recycling.

He called that outcome a significant step in keeping with the objectives of the city's long-term waste management strategy.

Councillor Frank Pullia, chair of council's budget committee, told tbnewswatch.com on Tuesday that he will ask administration for an updated report on the situation.

Pullia said he understands that managers have been working with staff on implementation, and that it's a work in progress, but added "I believe we need to know a little more information...we need to know if there are any outstanding issues, what those are...where we're at and how soon we can expect that to be taking place." 

Asked about the cost of carrying two full-time workers while the garbage truck remains on the road, Pullia replied that he didn't know the specifics, but "on average, it would be around $85,000 per position."