REPLAY: City council meeting

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This article was published 18/10/2011 (5442 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WINNIPEG – Join reporter Jen Skerritt as she tweets live from Wednesday’s city council meeting.

Council will vote on Winnipeg’s new garbage and recycling master plan that aims to improve the city’s wasteful track record. Winnipeg currently has one of the lowest trash diversion rates in the country, and only about 15 per cent of all waste is diverted away from landfills.

The plan calls for Winnipeg to roll out 185,000 recycling carts and 145,000 garbage carts citywide next year in an effort to get residents to recycle more and throw away less. The carts hold 240 litres, which is roughly three standard-sized garbage bags or four blue boxes.

The new plan comes with a $50 annual flat fee that will be tacked onto residents’ water bills.

The fee has already sparked criticism from several councillors who say they will not support the plan.

Last week, Couns. Scott Fielding (St. James), Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) and Paula Havixbeck (Charleswood) voted against the plan at council’s executive policy committee, claiming it was too ambitious, expensive and activist.

This week, Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) said he will not support the plan since the flat fee will be unfair to lower-income households. He argues the annual fee should be reduced to $25 for homes assessed at less than $200,000, and increased to $75 for homes assessed above $400,000. Homes assessed between $200,000 and $400,000 should pay $50, Eadie said.

Council will also vote on approving a $10-million loan guarantee to the developer of the Fort Rouge Yards and a $5-million contribution to the Longboat Development Corporation’s new parkade north of Portage Avenue.