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The City of Kelowna says it will revisit a curbside food waste pickup program in the future, but that’s no consolation to the regional district which hoped to get its biggest financial supporter on board.
Without the participation of Kelowna, which has well over half of the households who participate in the curbside pickup program, “it would not be viable,” RDCO associate director of engineering services Travis Kendel told council.
With all municipalities on board, the program would cost an additional $63 per household, per year.
Without Kelowna, Kendel says the cost would soar to well over $150 per household, per year.
The plan proposed by the RDCO would see food waste included within yard waste. Since the food and yard waste couldn’t be separated at the Glenmore landfill, a separate transfer station would have to be built.
The additional $63 a year ($4.1 million) would pay for that.
Going with the program would also extend the life of the landfill by about four years, which Kendel says equates to about $48 million in revenue and $170 million in regional economic benefit.
A majority of council ultimately decided adding a 30 to 35 per cent cost to taxpayers during this current economic climate was not the right way to go.
Council also had concerns about the growing number of multi-family homes being built. Those households do not participate in the curbside pickup program.
There were also concerns about the actual cost of the program and whether it would increase over time.
While council voted against the proposal, they did agree to revisit the plan as part of the 2030 regional solid waste management plan update.
Only Coun. Gord Lovegrove voted in favour of the request.
While the program was essentially quashed, Kendel says the RDCO will continue with planned presentations to other municipal councils in the region including later today in West Kelowna.
