New details on what it will take to get a city-wide green cart program in Winnipeg have been laid out in a new report from the Public Service.
The report will be shared with the Water, Waste and Environment committee, and recommends a $9 increase to the waste diversion fee for all those who opt into the green cart program.
The increase would fund the purchase of green carts and pails to be given to residents, with the fee change starting in 2025 – the current fee is $80.
Once the green cart service is in place – which is estimated to start in 2030 – there would be curbside pickup for the carts and garbage collection would switch to a biweekly process, the report recommends.
The shift to biweekly would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and garbage collection costs the report notes.
While the city waits for the cart collection to start, the Public Service also recommends implementing an interim service, allowing people to bring food waste to all 4R depots and up to 14 other community locations.
Adding the additional duties at the 4Rs would cost $25,000 more a year for the city, while another $135,000 a year would be needed for a contract with Compost Winnipeg to “provide opportunity for greater food waste diversion.”
“The service contract would expire when the city-wide green cart program is operational, but the self-haul collection at the 4R Winnipeg Depots would run parallel with the city-wide green cart program. Both of these interim options could be administered within 120 days of approval,” the report reads.
The city already had a pilot program involving 4,000 households throughout Winnipeg to test the use of green carts.
The Water, Waste and Environment committee will review the report on June 28.