MRC Pontiac holds special council sitting on recycling changes

MRC Pontiac holds special council sitting on recycling changes

On August 14, MRC Pontiac council met for a special sitting regarding changes coming to the municipal recycling system.

The sole item on the agenda was a resolution giving the MRC competency over recycling collection for the region. Council had passed a resolution declaring their intention to take over collection at their meeting in February. Under the new system, the regional body will negotiate one contract for recycling collection on the territory instead of all 18 municipalities negotiating individual contracts.

MRC Environmental coordinator Kari Richardson explained that once they announced their intention, the municipalities had 90 days to provide feedback on how the changes might affect them.

MRC Director General Kim Lesage explained that they are required to approve this declaration 90 days following their consultation with the municipalities, and required a special sitting to get it passed within that timeframe (next week’s regular meeting would be 4 days beyond that deadline). She added that they weren’t quite prepared to pass the resolution at their June meeting, and there was no meeting in July for summer holidays.

Lesage said that they were currently preparing their tender documents, and anticipate the recycling collection contract will go out for bids this fall, for a contract starting January 1, 2025.

The MRC’s new garbage collection contract will come into force on Monday.