Grey Highlands churches will get garbage collection

Grey Highlands council has answered the prayers of local churches by continuing their curbside garbage and recycling collection.

At its meeting on Dec. 21, council voted to amend its new waste collection bylaw to ensure local churches continue to receive curbside pickup. At the meeting, two local residents spoke to council about the possibility of churches losing curbside pickup as they are zoned institutional and are not included in the properties that receive collection in the bylaw.

On Jan. 1, Grey Highlands will switch its garbage collection system from the traditional bags and blue boxes method to an automated carts/bins system. Over the past few weeks, the bins have been delivered to local residents.

Frank Ietswaard and Ron Torry spoke to council on behalf of a number of local churches.

Tori said he hoped it was an “oversight” by the municipality that churches were not included in the properties receiving the new bins. Torry noted that churches perform a number of important community services and often struggle financially.

“What’s your solution for us? Traditionally, this form of service is grandfathered in, not grandfathered out,” he said.

Ietswaard said it isn’t fair that churches are suddenly losing garbage collection service.

“We’re at a loss to understand why all of the sudden this has changed,” he said.

Later in the meeting, council held an extensive discussion and debate about the issue. During the debate, staff noted that institutional places - like churches, were not included for curbside pickup in the previous bylaw or the new bylaw. However, the municipality’s waste collection contractor has always collected waste and recycling from local churches if the material was placed at the curb.

Multiple members of council noted that council’s intent with the new bin/cart system is that anybody receiving curbside pickup would continue to receive that service.

“It’s probably been an oversight that churches that have been receiving that pickup weren’t included in the bylaw. We should accommodate the request,” said Coun. Tom Allwood.

Council voted 7-0 in favour of amending the new waste bylaw to allow institutional settings to receive one set of bins at their request.