The city will take a one-size-fits-all approach to garbage collection as it moves to a cart system next year.
On Monday night, city council approved a bylaw coming forward for city-wide cart collection to begin in the spring of 2009, along with opting to eliminate lane and alley garbage collection at the same time.
Garbage and compost would also be collected on the same day when the city begins the new service.
More immediately, though, the city will start begin the tendering process to be supplied with new garbage and compost carts for city residents as well as three new garbage trucks which will have automatic lifters to pick up the carts.
While council was unanimous in its support for the new compost/garbage program, councillors questioned whether different sizes would be available to residents.
Coun. Jan Stick noted concerns she’s heard from residents that the carts are too big in homes where there are just one or two residents.
While the city had considered different sizes of carts, the logistics were too involved, said Brian Crist, the city’s director of operations.
The 240-litre garbage cart was the mid-size model that seemed to fit most residents.
It may be a possibility “down the road” though, he said.
Meanwhile, Coun. Dave Austin disagreed with Stick, noting that the cart he and his wife have used during the program’s pilot project in Porter Creek is just the right size for their household.
An added bonus, he joked, is that his wife has no trouble dragging the carts to the curb.
While the carts were deemed too big by one councillor and just right by another, it’s Coun. Doug Graham who thinks that during at least the summer months, residents might need two compost carts to accommodate grass clippings and such.
Once again, Crist noted that the plan would see each residence on the city garbage system get two carts - one for garbage, one for compost, but that the plan could change down the road.