A decade-old franchise agreement for commercial solid waste disposal in Olds has ended, after a motion in council passed last Monday (March 13).
In 2005, the town signed an agreement with Waste Management of Canada Corporation, granting them the privilege to provide commercial waste removal services within the town.
This included collecting, removing and disposing of general waste for businesses and other premises, such as multi-family dwellings. The agreement did not include recycling or compost collection, although Waste Management offers both services.
The franchise agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2015, and has been operating month to month since.
A public engagement was held late last year to examine whether the franchise agreement should continue, and based on a recommendation by administration, a motion was put forward at the March 13 council meeting to discontinue the agreement and open commercial solid waste services to the market.
Chris Lamaistre, a regional development manager for Waste Management, spoke briefly, and answered questions related to their future activity in Olds.
"Our intention is to continue to offer all of those services moving forward under whichever structure council chooses to implement," said Lamaistre.
Under the franchise agreement, Waste Management was required to send commercial waste to the Mountain View Regional Landfill, and they have said that their increased costs are related to increased tipping fees.
Lamaistre said that if the motion to end the franchise agreement carried, Waste Management Canada would consider whether more efficient or cost effective options might be available.
Coun. Mary Anne Overwater, who sits on the board of the Mountain View Regional Waste Management Commission, said that Mountain View Regional Landfill was down 3,000 tonnes of commercial waste this past year, which translates into a loss of more than $400,000. She attributes this to economic factors and a decrease in local construction.
But while the withdrawal of the franchise agreement might further affect the bottom line for the commission, she thinks it's a positive move for the community.
"I think it's probably a good thing for the businesses," said Coun. Overwater. "They can get their own haulers and get the best rates."
Coun. Overwater also said it was her understanding that some businesses weren't aware of the franchise agreement with Waste Management, and that it seemed difficult to enforce.
"It just hasn't seemed to really work," she said during the council meeting
The motion to end the franchise agreement carried without disagreement, and commercial waste management is now open to the market, as of March 13.
"We're not surprised by this," said Rina Blacklaws, a communications manager for Waste Management, present at the council meeting. "We have been following closely the town's response Ö so we've been prepared for both options."
"It's not necessarily a bad thing for us," said Blacklaws, who said that the driver responsible for Olds pickups, Brian Metzger, has been part of this community for the last 10 years.
"People have come to know him and rely on him and like him, and so we hope to continue to provide that to the local businesses."
"I think it's probably a good thing for the businesses. They can get their own haulers and get the best rates."COUN. MARY ANNE OVERWATER
