Councillors poised to delay organic-waste collection in Winnipeg 1 more time

City officials are once again recommending a waste-collection review that would delay curbside organic-waste collection until after the next election.

On Monday, council's water and waste committee will consider a report recommending a garbage-and-recycling review that won't be complete until 2018.

The review, which would also look at future organics collection, would replace an organics-collection study ordered up by council in 2016, when some councillors balked at the projected $55-to-$100-per-household annual cost of curbside organics collection.

The water and waste committee was supposed to vote on the report in January, but committee chair Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) argued that would be premature before the city adopts a new greenhouse-gas-reduction strategy that may include organic-waste collection.

Burying household organic waste in the Brady Road landfill creates about 11 times more greenhouse gases than allowing organics to decompose aerobically.

Mayes said Thursday the city must consider the cost as well as the environmental benefit.

​

The city's new climate-change strategy, released days after Mayes convinced his committee colleagues to hold off, included no recommendations about organic-waste collection.

That means his committee will consider the same report, recommending a review of all waste collection, again on Monday. It would be finished in 2018, which would not allow time for the city to design and tender a curbside organics collection program before 2019.

The next municipal election is slated for October 2018.

Teresa Looy, who runs composting programs for non-profit Green Action Centre, said she hopes organic waste will remain a city hall priority.

Mayes said a federal carbon tax may allow organics collection to pay for itself.