‘Time is of the essence’: city seeks expert to get green cart program rolling

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/01/2024 (682 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg is taking a significant step toward its green cart rollout.

In a recent request for proposal, the municipal government seeks an expert to develop an organic waste processing contract to support its upcoming curbside compost collection program.

The RFP notes such citywide collection requires a facility to process compost materials, which the city expects would be privately owned and operated. The government is now seeking a company to develop a request for qualifications, RFP and organic waste processing services contract to attract bidders for the processing component.

The city document suggests there’s an urgency to complete that work and get an organic waste processing facility in place.

“Time is of the essence,” it states in bold. “The city wishes to start providing curbside green cart collection service to single-family dwellings as soon as practicable.”

Coun. Brian Mayes, chairman of council’s water and waste committee, supported the call for quick action.

“Does that mean we’ll (guarantee to) be at your curb in 2026? Not at all, but at least we’re trying to keep this thing moving,” he said Thursday.

In October, council pushed forward a green cart collection plan, while directing civic staff to seek options to offer the service citywide by mid-2026, instead of a previous 2030 target. The initial plan called for weekly compost collection.

The city expects to get feedback from stakeholders in April, with advice on how compost collection could be expedited. A staff report is also expected to offer options for early implementation in June, which could involve less frequent and/or seasonal collection.

“The goal is to have some sort of vote this year on what exactly we want so we can get going on this… My view is, in June or July this year, let’s make some decisions,” said Mayes.

Winnipeg isn’t at risk of running out of landfill space but needs to get a composting system to meet its goals to combat climate change, he added.

“(Composting) will reduce methane going into the atmosphere… (And) the only way we’re going to keep making progress toward (our waste) diversion target is to start doing this.”

Years ago, the municipal government set a goal to increase its waste diversion rate from landfills to 50 per cent of all household waste, but has yet to achieve it.

The winning bidder on the latest contract is expected to explore options that minimize costs, noise and odours from compost processing. The contract is expected to cost at least $250,000.

The consultant would be expected to develop and issue a request for qualification for a processing facility by December, with a tendering period of six months. Nine months after the request for qualification closes, a RFP would be issued.

While that timeline would stretch into 2026, Mayes said it’s too soon to tell if council’s goal to begin some form of compost collection the same year is feasible.

A request to interview water and waste officials was not granted Thursday.

In an email, a city spokesman said all work noted in the RFP must be completed before curbside collection can start: “The water and waste department is advancing this project as quickly as practicable.”

The public service’s June report on composting will consider potential options to add an interim organics program by 2026, the spokesman said.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga