Port Coquitlam residents will face a $300 fine if they don't put their trash, recyclables and green waste in the right bin.
On Monday, frustrated by the lack of compliance, PoCo council voted to forego a proposal to set the fine at $150 and instead double the penalty for repeat offenders.
Coun. Dean Washington, who moved the motion to hike the fine to $300, said thousands of taxpayer dollars have been spent to educate the public about the new disposal rules but, some residents aren't getting the message.
"We have spent money to educate but nothing is being done," Washington said. "I think we have done what we should have done but there are a number of people who are not going to adhere to the rules.
"They should pay," he said.
The move comes after Multi-Materials BC, the agency in charge of recycling in the province, put PoCo on notice last year after it found higher-than-usual contamination rates in the recycling carts the city collects on behalf of MMBC.
And it told PoCo it could have a bill of up to $120,000 a year — nearly a full percentage point on the tax bill — if it didn't clean up the mess.
Washington and other councillors complained the suggested $150 fine was too low given the looming MMBC penalty as well as the number of bears roaming the community (at Monday's meeting, a resident spoke about the bears frequenting his north side neighbourhood).
In Coquitlam, residents face a $500 fine for contaminated bins while Burnaby issues a $450 ticket. In Port Moody, it's $150 on the fourth offence while it's $300 for the second infraction in New Westminster.
Still, Coun. Brad West opposed the $300 charge, saying it's not in line with other bylaw penalties.
"I appreciate the desire to use more of a stick than a carrot but by doubling these fines, it throws other fines out of whack," West said, noting that tossing a piece of Styrofoam in the trash would result in a penalty higher than watering grass during Stage 3 restrictions.
Council directed West's committee, smart growth, to review the solid waste and water fines.
The proposed ticketing structure for solid waste is expected to get first three readings at the May 24 council meeting, with final bylaw reading June 13.
Meanwhile, two city ambassadors will be patrolling neighbourhoods again this summer to check for garbage sorting as well as water usage and bear locks on waste carts.
The ambassadors will used lists of addressees generated by the GPS on garbage trucks to target areas with repeat offenders and look through the trash. Those caught contaminating trash, recycling and green bins will receive:
• first, a warning tag on the lid;
• second, a formal letter from the city about the fines;
• finally, a fine.
As for the new water rules imposed by Metro Vancouver this year, Stage 1 restrictions go into place on Sunday. That means residents of homes with even-numbered addresses can water their lawns Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 4 to 9 a.m. while those at odd-numbered addresses may sprinkle of Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Those rules will remain in place until Oct. 15, although it's possible more stringent restrictions could be imposed by Metro Vancouver, as happened last year.
PoCo residents who flout the watering regulations will face fines of $100 at Stage 1 and up to $450 at Stage 4.
As for the bear locks, residents who fail to secure their waste cart after collection — or who have unsecured wildlife attractants — will be billed $150.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
@jwarrenTC
Want a quick way to figure out where your trash goes? Port Coquitlam has a free online tool to sort out your recyclables.
Via the city website or the Waste-Line app for your smartphone, you can type in the name of a household item and it will tell you how to dispose of it in your blue, green or grey carts. Alternately, it will tell you to take it to the nearest recycling depot.
As well, it will let you know if you have to rinse an item it before it gets tossed. Visit portcoquitlam.ca/waste to check it out or download the app.
Meanwhile, Coquitlam residents can go to coquitlam.ca/curbsidecollection to get the ReCollect app and Waste Wizard.
