Port Coquitlam's new summer ambassadors are now pounding the streets, ready to teach residents about complying with the city's garbage and water rules.
Last Thursday, Taylor Venuti and Madeline Pearson made their first public appearance at the PoCo Farmers' Market to talk about the Sort It Right, Water It Right and Lock It Right campaigns.
Ross Maki, PoCo's section manager for solid waste and fleet services, said the pair was picked based on their backgrounds in environmental science and urban sociology; they began May 25 and will wrap up in late September.
The temporary casual labourers were hired to communicate the city's message in person as well as to deliver educational materials to homeowners and to inspect properties for potential violations, on behalf of the city bylaws department. They will work Monday to Friday, and some holidays and weekends for special events such as Canada Day at Castle Park.
The summer-long drive follows last year's pilot program, in which the city brought on two water ambassadors — at a cost of $10,000 — to enforce Metro Vancouver's water restrictions.
This year, the city has stepped up its efforts as the Stage 1 water rules went into effect earlier (as of May 15, even-numbered addresses can sprinkle on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 4 to 9 a.m. while odd-numbered addresses can water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays).
And PoCo residents who flout the water regulations will face a maximum fine of $100 at Stage 1 and up to $450 at Stage 4.
At last week's meeting, city council gave final approval to the Water Shortage Response Plan Amendment Bylaw, which will also see penalties rise from $150 to $300 for people caught repeatedly contaminating their trash with recyclables and organics.
Coun. Glenn Pollock said if the city doesn't take action against the most serious offenders, the rest of the municipality pays as PoCo will be assessed higher tipping fees by Metro.
Coun. Mike Forrest said sorting garbage hasn't been easy since Multi-Materials BC (MMBC) stepped in (PoCo is paid by MMBC to do the service in-house and has been warned by the agency it will be fined for contaminated recycling bins).
"There are people out there who are trying their best," Forrest said, noting residents are now forced to travel to depots to return recyclables that MMBC won't accept.
Coun. Brad West described MMBC as "the most confusing, complicated and convoluted system possible."
"I understand why people say, 'To heck with it' and put it all in the recycling bin because it's a system that a bureaucrat designed… but is not working in the real world."
As for the bear locks, residents who fail to secure their waste cart after collection — or who have unsecured wildlife attractants like uncollected fallen fruit — will be billed $150.
The ambassador program costs $70,000 with funding from the city's solid waste and water utility programs, according to a staff report.
• For information on the Sort It Right, Water It Right and Lock It Right campaigns, visit portcoquitlam.ca/wasteloss, portcoquitlam.ca/sprinkling and portcoquitlam.ca/bears.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
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Port Coquitlam city council continues to look for clues about how Multi-Material BC (MMBC) runs its operation.
On Monday, the city's finance committee voted to send a letter directly to MMBC managing director Allen Langdon to voice its concerns about the agency, specifically requesting information on:
• per household incentive and cost to deliver MMBC services (regardless if the service is being delivered publicly or privately);
• details on contamination levels;
• and an explanation about why there is a different service level within the system.
On the third point, Mayor Greg Moore cited the example of Coquitlam, which has contracted out its recycling via MMBC and receives curbside collection for glass; however, PoCo — which does its recycling in-house and receives an incentive from MMBC — gets no compensation for glass pickup. As a result, PoCo residents are forced to travel to a depot to return their empties.
"We just don't understand why some municipalities are being treated differently," Moore said on Tuesday.
Moore said council wants to work with MMBC on how it can do better and can avoid looming contamination fines that the agency has threatened. Still, "we also want to know if there is an unfair playing field."
MMBC is a stewardship group representing producers of packaging and printed paper; it is regulated by B.C.'s environment ministry.
Earlier this month, Mark Zacharias, assistant deputy minister for B.C.'s environmental protection, wrote to PoCo council to say its concerns were not unique and "are important as they assist the ministry in its ongoing dialogue with MMBC about program design and performance."
jwarren@tricitynews.com
