SILVER WATER—With an estimated increase of $10,000 per year in the costs of GFL (Green for Life) hauling its waste from the township, the local services board of Robinson Township agrees it needs to consider every option possible to look at decreasing this cost.
“There is going to be a big increase this year, so we are just throwing out options for everyone to consider,” said Paul Sorbara, Robinson LSB chair at its annual election meeting last week. He said residents are looking at a significant increase in their tax bill.
Karen Noble secretary/treasurer of Robinson LSB told the meeting (attended by about 20 people), “I received a note from GFL in August. They had indicated they have not put increases in place in the past few years and the new pricing system they are looking at would see an increase from $600 to $750 per garbage run, as well as a 26 percent increase in fuel surcharge costs and HST. We would be looking at more like a 30-35 percent increase in total.”
“Jason (Haman operations manager of GFL) said in their memo that they have never increased the rates previously,” said Ms. Noble. “I said this wasn’t right because the first year they bought out Riverside they increased the rates by 20 percent.”
Mr. Noble said she had inquired if the township could buy a bigger bin (40 yards long) for its garbage to be collected. Other options could include having the number of garbage pickup runs from GFL reduced or moving a larger bin to a central location where residents would have to drive to drop off their garbage for pickup from GFL. “We’re not going to decide tonight on the options we want but we are looking at about a $10,000 increase per year if we have the same number of garbage bin pickups as we do now.” She pointed out when fuel prices were reduced to half of what they normally are in Canada during the pandemic, the Robinson LSB did not receive a reduction from GFL.
“We want everyone in the township to come out to our pre-budget meeting October 23, to discuss and vote on which option we should go forward with,” said Ms. Noble.
“These guys (GFL) basically have a monopoly on these services,” said Ms. Noble. She explained another waste management company had been contacted a couple of years ago about providing the garbage pick-up services, but they indicated they would not come to Manitoulin. Vince Grogan and the Island Waste Management Resource Committee (IWMRC) is working with GFL. “He is not happy with the increases they have put in place and would like to see negotiations take place on an Island-wide basis for the services GFL provides.”
It was mentioned that Dawson township has one large waste bin that is regularly covered, and the area around it is fenced off so no one can get in to drop off garbage bags when the site isn’t open. And they have someone on hand when the bin is open for residents to drop off their garbage.
Charlie Pickard suggested the township residents should get together with five or six trucks and haul the township garbage to Dodge in Espanola instead of having GFL do this.
Hazardous materials and products can’t go out in the normal waste the meeting was told. It was suggested that the board can look at the costs of participating in the annual Island Hazardous Waste Day. “I will look into this,”’ said Ms. Noble. “I know MSS (Manitoulin Secondary School) got an e-waste bin and residents around Manitoulin can bring their e-waste to, and they use it as a fundraiser.”
“We just got hit with all of this information (from GFL) last week. We need all of you to get this information out to your neighbours and be ready to discuss the options and help us make a final decision on what we are going to do, at our pre-budget meeting,” said Mr. Sorbara.
The Expositor contacted Mr. Haman of GFL last week. He did not want to comment at that time but would provide comments this week.
Mr. Grogan said the concerns raised by Robinson LSB fall in line with the IWMRC wanting to get all Island communities together to negotiate on the services provided by GFL on an Island-wide basis.
