THUNDER BAY -- The number of garbage containers that Thunder Bay residents are allowed to leave for pickup at curbside will be reduced by one-third if council approves the measure as part of the city's 2017 operating budget.
Councilors are scheduled to vote on the budget at their meeting Tuesday evening.
Unless they agree to a change, the new budget will include a provision to reduce the maximum number of containers to two from three.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is looking for public support to withdraw the measure, and has set up a form on its web site so residents can e-mail councilors.
CUPE Local 87 President Karen Martin said in addition to the reduced garbage limit, administration plans to take one garbage packer truck out of service, eliminating two jobs in the process.
"They've got this program that's going to realign all the routes...so one packer less, as well as two jobs. Again, it's cutting city services where I don't think that's really necessary."
Martin said the city has already cut about 10 jobs in the last few months, and CUPE would prefer that the union and the city sit down to collaborate on ways to save money that don't necessitate job reductions.
"Once we lose something it's really hard to get it back," she said.
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