City's new split-bay garbage hauler enters service, while plans still in preparation for new garbage system for Prince Rupert

Prince Rupert's new Dual Bay Garbage collection vehicle
went into service last week and is now taking the load
of the weekly garbage collection cycle

The newest addition to the civic  fleet in Prince Rupert took to the streets last week on the city's west side, with the City's Operations Department putting the new Split-Bay garbage hauler into service.

The new vehicle which was part of approved spending from 2020, is designed to complement  the city's new vision for garbage collection and recycling, which will see the City purchase new garbage containers for residents to use, one for your regular garbage, the second for recyclable material. 

Residents will be charged a nominal fee of 22 dollars on their utility bills for 2022 as a partial cost recovery for the program; the contract for purchase of the cans was awarded at $564,850 plus GST and PST. The rest of the bill will come out of the city's gas tax funding.

We made note of new approach to the topic in recent months with a number of articles of interest on the theme.

A watchful eye on your garbage part of Prince Rupert City Council's plans for overhaul of garbage collection
Council to consider contract award towards new Curtsied garbage and recycling collection plans
City of Prince Rupert puts ambitions for new curtsied collection program in motion, including new plans for use of city supplied garbage cans for residents

At the April 12th Council session, Mayor Lee Brain noted that the community would require an education program related to the new program on garbage and recycling, 

"I do think that an education campaign is definitely required, I know that's in the works and in the plans. But this will be a large enough change for the community that some clarity multiple times over and over and over again will be necessary. You know flyers in the home, videos on the internet that type of thing to explain to people what the process is. I think it's going to make peoples lives a lot more, a lot more convenient  ...  I think it's going to make it easy for people to do the right thing, So I think we're doing our part to help them do the right thing as well" -- Mayor Lee Brain at City Council April 12

The City has hopes of having the new program in place following the Canada Day weekend, with a soft start leading up to full implementation later in the month of July.

So far there's no indication from City Council or staff as to when the lessons will commence.

For more notes on City Council themes see our archive page here.