Proposed Rural Roadside Garbage and Recycling Collection Service

Following the results of the recent Unified Alternative Approval Process (AAP), the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) Board has decided not to further pursue establishing a rural roadside garbage and recycling collection service at this time.

Through this process, the CVRD sought elector approval to establish a waste collection service for rural residents, split into three service areas. The AAP, which closed July 5, 2021, allowed for residents and homeowners to submit an elector response form in order to voice their opposition.

Approval was not obtained through this process, as more than 10 per cent of the eligible electors submitted opposition forms within all three proposed service areas, with the results ranging between 12 and 16 per cent. While the CVRD has the ability to hold a referendum within 80 days of closing the AAP in order to further pursue the proposed service, the Electoral Area Directors have weighed the options and do not feel it is in the best interest of the community to hold a referendum at this time.

“We’ve received strong feedback from residents, and we’ll be taking this time to reflect on what was shared with us,” said Electoral Area Services Committee Chair Director Hamir. “Our waste reduction goals are still incredibly important, and we’ll continue to work with rural communities on solutions to keep waste out of the landfill and increase diversion through recycling and composting.”

Earlier in the spring, public engagement was conducted to inform residents on the proposed collection service. This generated a significant amount of discussion within the community, indicating the service did not have widespread community support.

“We want to thank rural residents for taking the time, not only to express their concerns through the AAP process, but throughout our community engagement efforts as well,” added Marc Rutten, General Manager of Engineering Services Branch for the CVRD. “We heard a wide range of perspectives on this topic, and responded to hundreds of questions from engaged citizens, both for and against the proposed service.”

The full engagement report can be found here.

We heard strong support for a new roadside garbage and recycling service in the electoral areas during a survey conducted last year. The project team looked for areas that would be best served by a participation in a consolidated service, operationally feasible, and that had strong support from the residents. That analysis resulted in the following neighbourhoods moving forward.

CLICK THE MAP to see if your property is included:

There are some properties within the boundaries that will not receive this service because they do not meet the principle property use of a residential dwelling, or the property use is better suited to a centralized garbage collection system rather than individual collection. Wondering if your address is included in the proposed service area? Click on the interactive map highlighting all properties that are proposed to be included in the new service area.

Should the service be approved by residents through the AAP, residents will not be able to opt out after the service is created. In order for the proposed waste collection service to be cost effective and delivered efficiently, it needs to have participation from the majority of residents. Delivering recycling and yard waste collection to residents, alongside garbage collection, will improve diversion from our landfill and that impact will be most significant with the highest number of participating community members. Some exceptions/exemptions apply.

Have questions about why your property is included or excluded from the service? Visit www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/ruralroadsideboundary to learn more about qualifications, exemptions and exclusions or to download a PDF version of these maps.

Thank you to those who attended one of the three online Open Houses held on ZOOM May 11, 13, and 19, 2021. If you were unable to attend, we have posted a video recording below.

Recording of the May 13, 2021 Online Open House

Additional questions posed by participants during these sessions that were not answered live due to time constraints have been answered in the FAQs section located on the right hand side of the screen.

As part of the COVID-19 Finance and Administration Response and Renewal Plan, the CVRD will be streamlining most of its Alternative Approval Processes to once a year, in the spring. The proposed rural roadside garbage and recycling collection service will be included as part of this new annual AAP process. This singular, unified AAP will save money, streamline efforts, and ensure clear, consistent messaging to residents about the process.

• If you oppose this new service, you can submit an elector response form to voice your opposition. Elector response forms are available now and can be submitted from June 3 to July 5, 2021. Learn more at: comoxvalleyrd.ca/aap.
• If you support the proposed service do not need to take any action.

Under provincial legislation, an AAP is an acceptable method for all local governments to utilize to directly engage citizens about certain matters requiring elector approval. The AAP provides a high-degree of accessibility as electors have at least 30 days in which to consider the initiative and submit a response a response form to indicate their opposition. In this case, an AAP was pursued following public consultation that determined there was support in the community for the establishment of a service and because a referendum would have been far more expensive to taxpayers. In addition, the CVRD has undertaken considerable public outreach through a variety of methods to ensure residents are aware and informed of the proposed service and the Alternative Approval Process.

Still have questions? Visit the CVRD’s website for more information.

In August/September 2020, the CVRD invited residents in Electoral Areas A, B and C to complete a survey indicating their level of interest in a new roadside garbage and recycling collection service. More than 3,000 people participated in the survey with 74% supportive of establishing a service. Interested in learning more? Check out our survey results for all 13 participating neighbourhoods.

Click image to read the report