Curbside recycling in greater Saint John hinges on vote

The possible addition of curbside recycling in the greater Saint John area hinges on a meeting next month of the Fundy Regional Service Commission.

Five mayors and four local service district representatives will vote on whether to keep the status quo, which includes community recycling depots and home compost pickup, at a cost of $8.1 million or spend an extra $1 million and add curbside collection for cardboard, metal and plastic.

Jack Keir, executive director of the Fundy Regional Service Commission, says the vote will decide which program is used for the next 15 years.

"The waste commission is not going to offer more than one program. They're either going to offer the status quo or move to the new option, they are not going to do a combination of those,” Keir said.

The vote will be held on Oct. 28.

Saint John Mayor Mel Norton wants to add curbside recycling in the city and so do his councillors.

I believe we'll stick with the status quo simply because of the cost and the fact it works well.- Joan  Seeley

But a motion passed by Saint John councillors earlier this week says the $500,000 annual cost increase the city would face must be offset through co-operation.

"And the only way I've seen that we can do that is to provide that service on a regional basis with one service provider,” Norton said.

The vote is unlikely to be unanimous.

Joan Seeley, a representative from the local service district of Simonds, said she doesn’t intend to support the curbside recycling initiative.

"I believe we'll stick with the status quo simply because of the cost and the fact that it works well,” Seeley said.

The commission’s executive director said communities can go it alone if they're not happy with the majority.

"But what it would mean for them is they have to find a way to look after their recycling needs or it would go in the garbage,” Keir said.

This isn’t the first time a division has emerged between the municipalities and the local service districts that are represented by the commission.

Norton wanted to explore the idea of regional policing in 2013 but the Saint John mayor couldn’t even find anyone to second his motion.

In April, Grand Bay-Westfield Mayor Grace Losier, the commission’s chair, said she was growing frustrated with the lack of progress members had made over the past 16 months.