Jul 28, 2025 Governance & Priorities Committee

[00:00:03]

OKAY. WE'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE TO ORDER AT 12:05.

[1. Opening Statement]

[2. Approval of the agenda]

[3. Disclosure of conflict of interest and the general nature thereof.]

[4. A memorandum regarding whether to cancel Amnesty Days at the Solid Waste Facility or to transition to a voucher system.]

MR. VAN DINE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIR.

IT'S OUR GREAT PLEASURE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR SOLID WASTE FACILITY.

A PLACE THAT WE DON'T GET TO TALK ABOUT VERY OFTEN, BUT A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I'M DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MR. CHRIS VAUGHAN, OUR MANAGER OF THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY, WHO WILL TAKE US THROUGH A BIT OF A PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM TO COMPLEMENT WHAT YOU MAY HAVE READ IN YOUR PACKAGE AND WALK YOU THROUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS FACILITY AND OUR MARCH TOWARDS CONTINUOUS SUSTAINABILITY.

SO, MR. VAUGHAN.

JUST CHECKING TO SEE. PERFECT. THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL.

AS MENTIONED, MY NAME IS CHRIS VAUGHAN. I AM THE MANAGER OF SUSTAINABILITY AND SOLID WASTE FOR THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE.

AND I'M HERE TO BRING UP PERHAPS ONE OF MANY TOPICS WITH REGARDS TO WASTE THAT OUR CITY LOVES SO MUCH.

AMNESTY. IT'S REALLY JUST HOPEFULLY AN OPEN DISCUSSION.

I'M GIVING YOU SOME ON THE GROUND FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE AROUND IT AND SOME PROPOSALS TO RECTIFY THOSE CHALLENGES.

SO LET'S ENJOY THIS. LET'S HAVE A GOOD TIME AS WE TALK WASTE.

NOTHING BRINGS ME MORE JOY THAN TALKING TRASH TO POLITICIANS. SO LET'S DO IT.

OKAY, SO A QUICK INTRODUCTION. THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY DIVISION IS ALWAYS WORKING TOWARDS MODERNIZING OUR OPERATIONS AND OUR PROCEDURES ON SITE.

ONGOING CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY, COMPLIANCE AND OVERALL EFFICIENCY AND EFFORTS TOWARDS CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS.

THIS MODERNIZATION DIRECTLY CONNECTS TO THE CITY'S TRAJECTORY TOWARDS SERVICE EXCELLENCE, RESPONSIBLE USE OF TAX DOLLARS, AND A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE YELLOWKNIFERS.

SO WE ARE OFFERING A SERVICE. WASTE MANAGEMENT IS ALSO SERVICE DELIVERY AND SERVICES COSTS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE COST OF MANAGING A COMMUNITY'S WASTE IS LARGELY UNDERAPPRECIATED AND NOT FRONT OF MINE.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE MANY PEOPLE THINK YOU COULD JUST THROW THE GARBAGE IN A HOLE AND WALK AWAY, BUT IN FACT, THERE'S A LOT MORE TO THAT.

AND THOSE SERVICES, IN ORDER TO BE IN COMPLIANCE, IN ORDER TO BE SAFE, DO COST.

SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO COSTS IS THE RISING OPERATIONAL COSTS TO RUN OUR EQUIPMENT, STRICTER ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS, ADDITIONAL COSTS TO PROCESSING WASTE AND OUR DIVERSION PROGRAMS. COST RECOVERY SHORTCOMINGS BY NOT VALUING THE TRUE COST OF LANDFILLING, ILLEGAL DUMPING, FREE DISPOSAL EVENTS.

SO THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY IS IN THIS WEIRD POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO BALANCE SERVICE DELIVERY, BUT ALSO HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT CONTINUALLY GOING INTO THE RED WHEN IT COMES TO OFFERING THESE SERVICES.

SO THE SOLID WASTE FUND IS CURRENTLY OPERATING IN A DEFICIT.

THIS, TO ME, MEANS THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO REASSESS HOW WE RECOVER COSTS WHEN IT COMES TO WASTE MANAGEMENT.

BEFORE WE JUMP INTO AMNESTY, I KIND OF WANT TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT TO LET YOU UNDERSTAND, I GUESS, THE WORKING MATRIX THAT I HAVE IN MY HEAD WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING DECISIONS AROUND WASTE.

FIRST THING I WANT TO BRING TO SURFACE IS THAT AIRSPACE IS EXPENSIVE.

THINK OF AIRSPACE AS REAL ESTATE, AS POTENTIAL, AS OPEN SPACE THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR WASTE DISPOSAL WITHIN THE LANDFILL CELL.

THE LANDFILL CELL THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTING WAS AWARDED AT MORE THAN $8 MILLION.

THIS WILL LAST APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 8 YEARS. ANNUAL OPERATIONAL COSTS, AS WELL AS THE COSTS TIED TO CLOSURE AND POST CLOSURE ACTIVITIES NEED TO BE CONSIDERED.

IF WE ESTIMATE ALL OF THOSE REALITIES, WE SEE SOMETHING LIKE $200 PER CUBIC METER BEING THE COST OF QUOTE UNQUOTE, AIR SPACE. SO I WANT TO STRESS THE COST OF FREE IS HIGH, WHEN WE DON'T RECOVER THOSE COSTS, SOMEBODY DOWN THE LINE HAS TO PAY FOR THAT. I ALSO WANT TO STRESS, THE LANDFILL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS A CONTINUOUS CONSTRUCTION SITE. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE WE TREAT IT LIKE A RECREATIONAL FACILITY AND IT IS NOT.

[00:05:01]

WE ALL HAVE TO MANAGE THIS IN A WAY THAT IS SAFE AND WITHIN COMPLIANCE.

LIKE I MENTIONED, WE HAVE HEAVY EQUIPMENT WORKING PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.

WE'RE ALSO RECEIVING A SLEW OF UNKNOWN HAZARDS, WHETHER IT BE PROPANE TANKS, ELECTRONICS, THAT CAUSE FIRES. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES.

AND MY GOAL AS MANAGER IS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING SO IN A SAFE WAY.

OH, DID I SKIP SOMETHING? NO. OKAY, SO LET'S TALK ABOUT AMNESTY.

AMNESTY DAYS ARE COSTLY. SO WE'RE WAIVING MORE THAN $30,000 A DAY PER EVENT.

IN RECENT YEARS, THERE'S BEEN AT LEAST THREE AMNESTY DAYS PER YEAR.

OVERTIME IS NEEDED TO MANAGE EVENT AND CLEAN UP LAST DAYS.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT UNDERMINES ANY EFFORT TOWARDS DIVERSION OR SORTING OF WASTE.

AMNESTY DAYS ARE ALSO QUITE CHAOTIC. MORE THAN 600 VISITS IN ONE DAY.

WE HAVE LIMITED SPACE ON SITE AND THERE'S A HIGH CHANCE OF INCIDENTS.

SO, SOME PROPOSALS. HERE'S THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

THE CITY NO LONGER HOSTS AMNESTY DAYS. THAT IS PROPOSED OPTION NUMBER ONE.

IT'S THE EASIEST OPTION TO IMPLEMENT, AND ADDRESSES CONCERNS AROUND SAFETY AND OPERATIONS.

IT REDUCES STAFF BURDEN AND KEEPS WITH THE USER PAY SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED MORE THAN 20 YEARS PRIOR, AND THE MAJORITY OF CANADIAN MUNICIPALITIES DO NOT HAVE THESE FREE EVENTS.

PROPOSED OPTION NUMBER TWO IS ALMOST LIKE A PILOT PROJECT, IF YOU WILL, WHERE THE CITY PILOTS AN AMNESTY VOUCHER SYSTEM.

THIS WOULD BE A TWO YEAR PILOT PERIOD WHERE RESIDENTS THAT PAY THE MONTHLY LEVY FEE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO TWO VOUCHERS A YEAR.

THE VOUCHERS WILL WAIVE THE RESIDENTIAL FLAT RATE.

RESIDENTS THAT DO NOT PAY THE MONTHLY WASTE LEVY WILL NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO AMNESTY.

THIS REDUCES STAFF BURDEN AND ENHANCES SITE SAFETY.

SO HOW WE'RE ENVISIONING THIS PHASING, ESSENTIALLY THE PHASE ONE WILL BE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VOUCHER SYSTEM PROGRAM.

THERE WON'T BE ANY WEIGHT LIMIT UNTIL THE WEIGHT-OUT SCALE IS FUNCTIONAL. PHASE TWO STARTS ONCE THE WEIGHT-OUT SCALE IS INSTALLED AND OPERATIONAL, WHICH IS SET FOR THIS YEAR. NEW FEE STRUCTURE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AND THE VOUCHERS WILL BE BASED ON THE NEW APPROVED FEE STRUCTURE.

FINALLY, AFTER WE SEE HOW THIS GOES AND IRONED OUT ANY KINKS, IF THERE MAY BE ANY, WE REVIEW THE PROGRAM´S SUCCESSES AND SHORTCOMINGS, AND WE BRING IT BACK TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR A FINAL DECISION.

SO THE VOUCHERS, MY TEAM HAVE BEEN DILIGENTLY WORKING ON THIS.

AND ESSENTIALLY WE WANT A SYSTEM THAT'S EASILY ACCESSIBLE, WHETHER IT'S ONLINE OR AT THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY.

THESE VOUCHERS WILL BE TIED TO AN ADDRESS AND UTILITY ACCOUNT NUMBER, AND THEY'LL ONLY BE VALID FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.

SO ONCE DECEMBER 31ST IS DONE, ALL THOSE VOUCHERS ARE VOID FOR THAT YEAR AND WE START THE PROCESS AGAIN.

AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S OPTION NUMBER THREE, WHERE WE JUST CONTINUE AS USUAL.

BUSINESS AS USUAL. IT DOESN'T ADDRESS TRAFFIC, DOESN'T ADDRESS ANY DEMANDS ON STAFF.

IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE UNDERVALUING OF THE LANDFILL. SO JUST KEEP IT GOING.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DISCUSSIONS AROUND THIS AND TO ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

I GUESS I WANT TO CONTEXTUALIZE IT AS WELL, AS THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY OF THE WASTE MANAGEMENT MILESTONES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN COMING MONTHS.

THE WEIGHT-OUT SCALE IS CHIEF AMONGST THEM THAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE ACCURATE DATA AND MODERNIZED PROCEDURES.

WE'RE ALSO CONSTRUCTING CELL THREE, WHICH ALLOWS FOR INCREASED AIRSPACE AT A HIGH COST.

AND IT'S USING A FILL PLAN TO BETTER SURVEY AND PLAN SO WE DON'T PAINT OURSELVES IN A CORNER.

NEW TIPPING FEE STRUCTURES NEED TO BE REVIEWED.

THIS WOULD HOPEFULLY INCENTIVIZE DIVERSION AND BE CLOSER TO THE TRUE COST OF LANDFILLING.

AND OF COURSE, SOLID WASTE BY-LAW UPDATES ARE DUE MOVING TOWARDS INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT AND DIVERSION.

IN CLOSING, THE LANDFILL HAS EVOLVED AND CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.

IT IS NO LONGER A DUMP. IT'S ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST VALUABLE ASSETS, AND EVERY DECISION EITHER OPTIMIZES OR UNDERMINES ITS VALUE.

THE MUNICIPALITY SHOULD BE RECOVERING THE COST OF LANDFILL OPERATIONS UNDER THE USER PAY MODEL.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW. I HOPE THAT WAS CONCISE ENOUGH, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DISCUSSIONS AND ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS FOR MANY COUNCILLORS.

COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

YEAH, THAT LAST SLIDE OR SECOND LAST, I GUESS.

WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE SECOND WEIGHT-OUT SCALE? AND IS THE PLAN TO JUST SOME DETAILS ON THAT NEW TIPPING FEE STRUCTURE?

[00:10:05]

SO THE WEIGHT-OUT SCALE IS CURRENTLY BEING INSTALLED AS WE SPEAK.

THEY'RE DOING THE GROUNDWORK AND HOPEFULLY WE´LL HAVE THAT DONE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. AND YES, THE GOAL, AND THIS WILL BE REFLECTED IN A FUTURE TIPPING STRUCTURE IS TO REALLY FOCUS ON TONNAGES BEING THE MAIN WAY OF CHARGING PEOPLE FOR BRINGING IN WASTE. SO AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY, HEY, ONCE YOU'VE PASSED THIS, LET'S SAY 150KG OR 200KG, YOU'RE NOW PAYING A PER TONNAGE RATE, AS OPPOSED TO JUST BRING WHATEVER YOU CAN FOR THE FLAT RATE OF $1650, BUT THAT WILL BE A FUTURE DISCUSSION. THANKS.

AND WOULD THERE BE AN OPTION FOR LIKE, A LOWER CHARGE IF YOU ONLY BROUGHT A COUPLE BAGS? LIKE, I CHANGED MY OIL AND I END UP COLLECTING OIL OVER YEARS BECAUSE IT'S 1650, WHETHER I HAVE ONE JUG OF OIL OR TEN, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IT'S SITTING ON MY PROPERTY. WOULD THERE BE AN INCENTIVE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LOWER CHARGE IF YOU ONLY BROUGHT A COUPLE LITTLE THINGS? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.

I THINK WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON JUST HAVING THAT PER TONNAGE AND RECOGNIZING THAT EVEN IF YOU'RE BRINGING IN A LITTLE BIT, WE STILL HAVE TO COVER COSTS. AND THERE'S A SLEW OF OTHER QUOTE UNQUOTE FREE SERVICES THAT THAT CHARGE THEN GOES TO.

UNDERSTOOD. AND DO YOU HAVE AN ETA FOR THE NEW TIPPING FEE STRUCTURE? AND AS PART OF THAT STRUCTURE, IS THERE A GOAL FOR COST RECOVERY? JUST SEEING AS THE CURRENT ONE IS ABOUT RECOVERING, BASED ON THE MEMO, ROUGHLY 59% OF THE COST.

WELL, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE TIPPING STRUCTURE AND IT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE HIGHER UPS TO BRING IT TO YOU.

BUT I HOPE THAT THAT CAN COME SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF LET IT WORK FOR A LITTLE BIT AND SEE EXACTLY HOW IT WILL RECOVER COSTS.

I THINK FOR ME, THE KEY COMPONENT IN THAT IS HAVING THAT WEIGHT-OUT SCALE.

SO ONCE WE HAVE A WEIGHT-OUT SCALE, WE´LL HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF ASSESSING HOW CLOSER WE ARE TO COVERING THE COST OF IT THROUGH TIPPING FEES ALONE.

OKAY. AND IS OUR GOAL TO RECOVER 100% OF THE COSTS OR ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING FALL BACK ON PROPERTY TAXES IN GENERAL? I'LL, SPEAK TO THIS AND CHIME IN IF YOU FEEL THE NEED TO AGREE, DIRECTOR GREENCORN.

I THINK WE WANT AS MUCH. I THINK THE USER PAY MODEL IS HOW WE WANT TO GO TO.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S REALISTIC THAT WE'LL GET 100%, I GUESS COST RECOVERY FROM USER FEES.

BUT THE MORE WE CAN FOCUS OUR USER FEES TO REALLY ADDRESS THE WASTE THAT'S COMING IN, THE BETTER IT WOULD BE.

YEAH, AND JUST TO JUMP IN THERE AND ADD TO THAT, THE RECOVERY IS ALSO BASED ON THE SOLID WASTE LEVY THAT'S ATTACHED TO EVERYBODY'S UTILITY BILL. SO THERE'S FIXED COSTS AND THEN THERE'S A CONSUMPTION CHARGE, IF YOU WILL, SIMILAR FOR WATER.

YOU HAVE FIXED FEES AND THEN YOU HAVE YOUR USER FEES.

SO BASED ON THOSE TWO REVENUE STREAMS, WE STRIVE FOR 100% RECOVERY, BUT WE'RE NOT REACHING THAT YET.

SO THERE'S THE SPECTRUM OF COMMUNITY PAYS TO USER PAY.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO HIT THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE TO STRIKE BALANCE.

FOR SURE. YEAH. AND IT'S DEFINITELY INTERESTING COMING AS WE'RE SORT OF IN THE MIDDLE OF TALKING ABOUT WATER RATES TOO. AND WHERE DOES THAT BALANCE FALL IN THE DIFFERENT SERVICES.

YEAH. ANY DATA ON PERCENTAGES OF HOW THAT FALLS WOULD BE FASCINATING AND VERY USEFUL FOR MY THINKING.

AND THEN JUST ONE MORE THOUGHT. LIKE WHAT HAPPENS LONG TERM WITH A LANDFILL CELL? DOES IT JUST SIT THERE? LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IN 20 YEARS, 50 YEARS? AND WHAT SORT OF COSTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO EVENTUALLY WE'LL REACH OUR CAPACITY IN TERMS OF A LANDFILL CELL, AND THEN WE'D HAVE TO BE TASKED WITH PROPERLY COVERING IT, CAPPING IT ESSENTIALLY, AND MAINTAINING IT.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NO LONGER ACCEPTING WASTE AT THAT CELL, THERE'S STILL A SLEW OF OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT'S REQUIRED.

EVERYTHING FROM LEACHATE MANAGEMENT TO DEALING WITH EROSION AND SETTLEMENT.

AND USUALLY IT'S PREDICTED THAT THAT'S A GOOD 30 YEARS AFTER CLOSURE THAT YOU HAVE TO CONTINUALLY, NOT AS INTENSIVE AS THE ONSET, BUT CONTINUALLY MANAGE AND MAINTAIN THIS CLOSED LANDFILL.

SO IT'S AN ONGOING THING. AS TIME PROGRESSES AND WE EVENTUALLY CLOSE OUT, LANDFILLS WILL BE TASKED WITH NOT JUST DEALING WITH THE ADDITIONAL WASTE THAT'S COMING IN, BUT ALSO MANAGING THE CLOSED LANDFILLS. AND SO THAT WOULD BE BORNE IN OPERATIONAL COST.

IT'S NOT LIKE A CLOSURE COST, END OF STORY. IT'LL JUST, AS WE CLOSE MORE LANDFILLS, THE OPERATIONAL COST WILL GROW AND GROW AND GROW.

YES. CORRECT. UNDERSTOOD. I'LL HAVE A COMMENT AFTER MY COLLEAGUES ASK A QUESTION.

[00:15:01]

MY QUESTION IS AROUND KIND OF THE VOUCHER SYSTEM YOU'RE PROPOSING.

SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THREE DAYS A YEAR WHERE WE USE, YOU KNOW, WE GET A COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE COME IN.

A VOUCHER WOULD BE FOR TIMES TWO FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY.

SO HOW MANY VOUCHERS WOULD THAT BE? I GUESS TOTAL, LIKE HOW MANY USERS IS THERE THAT PAY THAT TIPPING FEE? I'LL JUST CLARIFY. IT WOULDN'T BE FOR EVERYONE IN THE CITY. IT'D BE FOR EVERYONE WHO IS ON THE CURRENT GREEN CARD PROGRAM, WHO ESSENTIALLY HAS THEIR BLACK AND GREEN CARDS TIPPED WEEKLY.

AND SO THERE'S ABOUT 4500 HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE ON THAT PROGRAM.

SO LET'S SAY 9000 BECAUSE THEY EACH GET TWO VOUCHERS.

OKAY. THANKS. YEAH. I GUESS MY CONCERN WOULD BE WE'D ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGHER USE, NOT LESS, BECAUSE, LIKE, I DON'T USE THOSE DAYS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T USE THOSE DAYS VERSUS POPULATION.

SO. BUT IF YOU HAVE A FREE VOUCHER I THINK I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WE SHOULD ALL THINK ABOUT IS THAT GOING TO ACTUALLY INCREASE.

UNLESS YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AS WELL ALREADY. WELL, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

AND THERE MAY BE AN INCREASE, BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MANAGE IT BETTER.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT ALSO NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IF WE HAVE THAT BOTTLENECK OF EVERYTHING COMING IN, WE TRY OUR BEST TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS IN TERMS OF PROPERLY SORTING.

BUT WE'RE SEEING, YOU KNOW, PROPANE TANKS AND ALL THESE QUESTIONABLE MATERIALS COME IN AND WE DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER TO SORT IT PROPERLY.

THERE'S A CHANCE, LIKE YOU SAID, THAT YES, THERE MIGHT BE AN INCREASE IF PEOPLE REALLY JUMP ONTO THIS, BUT THE FACT THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THEM PROPERLY WHEN THEY DO COME, BECAUSE HOPEFULLY THEY WON'T BE COMING ALL AT ONCE, IT ALSO HAS ITS BENEFITS.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A COMMENT AT THE END ONCE EVERYBODY´S ASKING QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

UP NEXT I HAVE MAYOR HENDRIKSEN. ALL THE MYSTERY WITH THE WAITING COMMENTS.

I DON'T HAVE THE WAITING COMMENT. SO FOR MYSELF, I MEAN, MY GUT INSTINCT WHEN I WAS READING THE MEMO WAS, YOU KNOW, FULL SUPPORT OF CANCELING AMNESTY DAY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, THE COST OF THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY IS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE CITY.

IT IS PART OF OUR OVERALL BUDGETING. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT SORT OF, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE OPERATIONS THAT YOURSELF, CHRIS AND DIRECTOR GREENCORN WERE TALKING ABOUT, IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT A BUDGET IN THE PAST.

AND SO MY GUT INSTINCT IS THAT NOW THE ONE BIG THING THAT DRAWS INTO MY HEAD IS THE RESULT OF THAT POTENTIALLY AN INCREASE IN ILLEGAL DUMPING. AND SO MY QUESTION, I GUESS, IS TO YOU, CHRIS, AND TO POTENTIALLY DIRECTOR GREENCORN IS, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF ILLEGAL DUMPING? COULD THAT, YOU KNOW, DO YOU FORESEE THAT AS POTENTIALLY GOING UP? AND HOW WOULD WE CAPTURE TO MONITOR ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT MAY COME FROM THAT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF A, OR CHECK IN THE FUTURE. WHETHER IT'S A VOUCHER SYSTEM OR, YOU KNOW, CANCELING AMNESTY DAYS, GENERALLY IF WE SAW ILLEGAL DUMPING INCREASE SO THAT WE COULD CHECK OURSELVES IN THE FUTURE AND MAYBE REEVALUATE A POLICY CHANGE.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE, IS THAT WE MAKE A POLICY CHANGE AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY OF UNDERSTANDING, WAS IT THE RIGHT DECISION OR NOT THE RIGHT DECISION? AND SPECIFICALLY AROUND THE ILLEGAL DUMPING PIECE FOR ME.

THANKS FOR THE QUESTION AROUND ILLEGAL DUMPING. WE THINK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME.

WE ARE CURRENTLY TRACKING ALL OF OUR ILLEGAL DUMPING IN A SINGLE PLACE.

WHETHER IT'S JUST THE TIPPING FEE ITSELF OR WHETHER WE REQUIRE CONTRACTED COSTS TO CLEAN IT UP.

I WOULD SAY THAT THIS GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY PAY OR USER PAY SYSTEM.

SO WE HOPE AND WE TRY TO EDUCATE AND HOPE PEOPLE DON'T DO ILLEGAL DUMPING.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, SOMEONE WILL PAY FOR IT.

SO IF ILLEGAL DUMPING CONTINUES TO HAPPEN, EITHER USER FEES WILL GO UP TO COVER THOSE COSTS OR THE SOLID WASTE LEVY WILL GO UP TO COVER THOSE COSTS, OR PROPERTY TAXES WILL GO UP TO COVER THOSE COSTS.

AND WE PREFER THAT NOT TO HAPPEN, BUT THAT'S JUST THE REALITY OF THE WORLD.

SO WHILE YES, WE THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS, WE HOPE THAT PEOPLE DON'T DO THOSE, AND YEAH, I THINK WE GET BETTER WASTE DIVERSION TACTICS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF COST ASSOCIATED WITH IT, BECAUSE WHEN IT'S FREE, THEN NO ONE REALLY TENDS TO CARE ABOUT IT ALL THAT MUCH.

SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION. BUT WE DO THINK ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING AND HOW TO DEAL WITH IT.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO ACTUALLY DEAL WITH ILLEGAL DUMPING.

AND WE'RE TRACKING THAT. AND WE WILL RECOVER THOSE COSTS IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.

THANKS. THAT DOES ANSWER THE QUESTION, AND IT MAKES ME HAPPY THAT WE'RE ALREADY TRACKING THAT TOO,

[00:20:02]

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED WAS AROUND, YOU KNOW, THE COMPARABLES TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.

SO I WAS WONDERING IF YOU JUST SPEAK TO THAT IN TERMS OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES YOU MAY HAVE LOOKED AT IN DEVELOPING, YOU KNOW, ONE, PROPOSING, POTENTIALLY CANCELING IT, BUT TWO, DEVELOPING THE PROPOSAL AROUND A VOUCHER SYSTEM.

SO JUST WHAT OTHER PLACES ARE DOING SO THAT MYSELF AND ALSO RESIDENTS WHO MAY, YOU KNOW, HEAR THE REPORTING ON THIS CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT GOES ON IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AROUND AMNESTY DAYS OR NOT AMNESTY DAYS.

OKAY. I WILL TRY MY BEST TO ANSWER THAT. SO WE DID DO A SCAN OF DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES.

I'M ALSO FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ON THE BOARD OF THE SOLID WASTE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA NORTHERN LIGHTS CHAPTER.

SO I DO HAVE A BIT OF INTEL. MAJORITY OF MUNICIPAL LANDFILLS DO NOT OFFER THIS SERVICE.

SOME DO. AND FROM THOSE THAT I SPOKE TO THAT DO, THEY'RE KIND OF, IN MY OPINION OR IN MY POSITION WHERE THEY'RE LIKE, WE DON'T WANT TO ROCK THE BOAT TOO MUCH, BUT THIS HAS TO STOP EVENTUALLY.

SO THAT'S ESSENTIALLY KIND OF THE GAMUT OF HOW WASTE MANAGERS ARE DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO STOP AMNESTY. I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE PAYING $16.50 FOR A FLAT RATE FOR RESIDENTS, WHICH IS, QUITE FRANKLY, WE'RE SUBSIDIZING WASTE MANAGEMENT.

SO ALL THESE THINGS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. AND I THINK AMNESTY OR AT LEAST DEALING WITH AMNESTY IS A GREAT WAY TO KIND OF CUT THE FAT OFF AND REALLY GET TO THE MEAT OF HOW WE MANAGE SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE WASTE CONTEXT.

AND, SORRY TO JUMP IN HERE. THE QUESTION CAME EARLIER ABOUT TIPPING FEES.

IT'S OUR GOAL, ONCE THE SCALE IS UP AND RUNNING AND WE GET SOME GOOD DATA COMING BACK AND FORTH, AND WE MAKE SURE IT'S OPERATING THE WAY IT IS, IT'S OUR GOAL TO BRING FORWARD A NEW FEE STRUCTURE FOR FEE STRUCTURE AND OPTIONS FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER. OUR TENTATIVE GOAL WILL BE TO BRING THOSE FEES FORWARD IN TYPICAL FASHION DURING THE DECEMBER BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.

AND THEN, IF SUCCESSFUL, WE WOULD IMPLEMENT A NEW FREE STRUCTURE AND HOPEFULLY ON JANUARY 1ST, BUT AT LEAST Q1 2026. PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT AS A RESPONSE.

AND I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION IS, IN TERMS OF THE VOUCHER, WHY PROPOSE TWO VOUCHER SYSTEM VERSUS A ONE VOUCHER SYSTEM? JUST SORT OF INTERESTED IN TERMS OF THAT AS AN OPTION TOO.

I MEAN, IF YOU ONLY WANT ONE VOUCHER, THAT COULD BE AN OPTION AS WELL.

BUT THE TWO VOUCHER ESSENTIALLY WAS BECAUSE WE HAD YEARS WHERE IT'S TWO AMNESTY EVENTS PER YEAR.

SO WE FIGURED TWO, BUT THAT COULD BE CHANGED.

I WOULDN'T GO HIGHER THAN TWO. OKAY. YEAH. FAIR ENOUGH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OKAY. THAT'S ALL FOR ME FOR QUESTIONS.

SO, I MEAN, I SPILLED MY BEANS ON WHERE MY HEAD'S AT BEFORE I EVEN GOT INTO MY QUESTION.

SO INTERESTED TO SEE WHERE MY COLLEAGUES HEADS ARE AT.

BUT I MEAN, MY PERSONAL, I WOULD BE FINE WITH ATTEMPTING OR, YOU KNOW, TRIALING, GETTING RID OF AMNESTY DAYS UNTIL THE END OF OUR TERM AND BEING ABLE TO REEVALUATE WHERE THINGS SIT. THAT'S WHERE MY HEAD'S AT.

BUT IF MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO GO WITH THE VOUCHER SYSTEM, I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY TRYING THAT, TOO. AND OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S ALWAYS THE POTENTIAL THAT WE DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING, BUT.

SO WHERE MY COLLEAGUES KNOW WHERE I SIT, THAT'S WHERE I SIT OFF OF THIS.

AND THANKS FOR BEING FOR THE BACKGROUND AND FOR CONSIDERING THESE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BUDGET QUESTIONS.

AND THEY ARE BUDGET QUESTIONS AND FINANCE QUESTIONS OF HOW WE, YOU KNOW, ARE ABLE TO FUND OUR CITY.

YOU KNOW I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT RESIDENTS HEAR ABOUT THIS KIND OF STUFF AND THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY AS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, CHRIS, IS IN YOUR PRESENTATION OUTSIDE OF MAYBE, YOU KNOW, YKEA. AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT AS IT IS A CONSTRUCTION SITE ALL THE TIME.

AS MUCH AS AND AS IMPORTANT IT IS FROM THAT COMMUNITY ASPECT AS IT IS IN YELLOWKNIFE.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL STOP AND HAND IT OVER. THANKS, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR HENDRIKSEN. I HAVE COUNCILLOR FOOTE UP NEXT, AND THEN COUNCILLOR MCGURK AFTER THAT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, CHRIS.

ONE QUESTION LEFT. IT SEEMS LIKE THE OTHER ONE GOT TOUCHED ON.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PRIOR TO COVID, THE CITY HAD, LIKE, AMNESTY EVENTS THAT WERE WEEKEND LONG OR STRING OF DAYS LONG.

WHAT WAS THE REASONING BY JUST GOING TO SINGLE DAYS ONCE WE RESUMED REGULAR ACTIVITIES AT THE WASTE FACILITY? THANK YOU. GREAT QUESTION. SO AS MENTIONED THROUGHOUT ALL YOUR COMMENTS, I THINK THERE'S A RECOGNITION THAT THERE'S OTHER OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN ON SITE. DURING YOUR TYPICAL WEEK, I HAVE 5 TO 6 OPERATORS, ALL RUNNING MACHINE, ALL EITHER BEING AT THE LANDFILL CELL OR OFF

[00:25:04]

THE CLEANUP ALSO IS BRUTAL, RIGHT? SO IN ORDER TO CONTINUE HAVING THE REGULAR SERVICES THAT OUR COMMERCIAL HAULERS, OUR BUSINESSES DEPEND ON, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE SITE IS CLEAN AND SAFE.

AND THERE WERE TIMES THAT WE HAD A WEEK WORTH OF AMNESTY.

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT WAS A CONTINUOUS, CONTINUOUS FLOW OF PEOPLE.

THE TRAFFIC DIDN'T SUBMIT THAT MUCH, RIGHT? SO IT'S A HARD DECISION.

IT'S A HARD BALANCE. BUT FOR ME AS THE MANAGER, ENSURING THAT THE SITE IS SAFE, CLEAN, THAT THE COMMERCIAL ENTITIES WHO ARE PAYING THE FULL PER TONNAGE RATE CAN COME IN AND OUT WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT IN THESE LONG LINES, OR HAVING TO NAVIGATE AROUND RESIDENTS WHO AREN'T SURE WHAT THEY'RE DOING OR ARE LOOKING TO SALVAGE SOMETHING.

I THINK IT MADE SENSE TO BRING IT TO A SHORTER TIMEFRAME.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YEAH, THAT'S PERFECT.

THANKS. MY THOUGHT PROCESS WAS THAT JUST HAVING IT SPREAD OUT OVER A FEW DAYS WOULD MITIGATE SOME OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS IN THE OVERTIME, BUT SOUNDS LIKE IT DIDN'T STOP THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC, SO.

COUNCILLOR MCGURK. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK WITH US.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS A VERY BELOVED SUBJECT FOR A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY.

I LOVE TRASH TALK, AND I'M AN AVID SALVAGER, AND I WOULD BE SAD TO SEE AMNESTY DAYS GO.

BUT I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE PRESENTING, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S.

YEAH, WELL, IT'S EASY TO SIT IN THAT SAND HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. I'M SURE THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO THIS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. COUNCILLOR HENDRIKSEN ALREADY ASKED ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING, WHICH WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT.

AND STILL MAYBE I DO UNDERSTAND. WELL, I DO UNDERSTAND WE STILL COVER THE COSTS.

THERE'S MAYBE A VALUE QUESTION AROUND WHETHER IF THERE IS INCREASED ILLEGAL DUMPING, IT'S NOT VERY NICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO LOOK AT IT, BUT THAT'S SORT OF SEMANTICAL. I GUESS MY THOUGHTS AROUND IMPLEMENTING A VOUCHER SYSTEM IS THERE'S SOME APPEAL THERE. I MEAN, FOR ME, THIS MIGHT SOUND SILLY, BUT THE THING THAT I LIKE ABOUT AMNESTY DAYS OR THAT MAKES ME SORT OF WANT TO CONSIDER KEEPING IT IS THE ACTUAL EVENT ITSELF.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A BLACK FRIDAY FOR SALVAGERS LITERALLY IS WHAT'S IN THE REPORT, A STATEMENT THAT SOME RESIDENTS HAD MADE.

SO THE VOTE JUST SIMPLY GIVING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DUMP FOR FREE IS, AS IT HAVE, MORE OF A HARD TIME SWALLOWING.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT PEOPLE WHO DO NOT DIRECTLY PAY THEIR UTILITY COSTS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE A VOUCHER UNLESS THEIR LANDLORD DECIDED TO PROVIDE IT TO THEM.

SO I CAN SEE THAT THAT MIGHT BE NOT NOT SO FAIR.

AND IN THAT VEIN, I GUESS I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THAT SYSTEM MIGHT BE IMPLEMENTED IN, SAY, AN APARTMENT BUILDING, BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE THE MOST IMPACT ON THOSE KIND OF RESIDENTS.

THANK YOU. AND THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION. NOT EVERYONE HAS A HOME AND IS PAYING THE PROPERTY TAXES AND ARE ON THE THE PROGRAM, THE CART PROGRAM. HOWEVER, MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ON THE PROGRAM HAVE ACCESS TO A DUMPSTER, AND THEY'RE NOT AS LIMITED IN TERMS OF CAPACITY.

I HAVE A FAMILY OF FIVE, AND I HAVE TO MAKE DO WITH THOSE TWO LOVELY BLACK AND GREEN DUMPSTER BINS.

AND I MAKE IT WORK. THE REALITY IS THAT IT'S HARDER FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIMITED SPACE.

AND SO THIS IS ALMOST SEEN AS A THANK YOU FOR THAT EXTRA ADDITIONAL SERVICE OR THAT PERHAPS SMALL INCONVENIENCE.

WHEREAS OTHER PLACES WHO ARE NOT PAYING THE PROPERTY TAX USUALLY HAVE FOR THE MOST PART A DUMPSTER THAT QUITE FRANKLY, YOU COULD PUT IN IF YOU TIME IT RIGHT WHENEVER YOU WANT. THERE ISN'T A TONNAGE OR A VOLUME LIMIT.

YEAH I AGREE, THANK YOU. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. YEAH, I GUESS THE ONLY THING THAT IS HARD TO STOMACH FOR ME, I GENERALLY AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA BECAUSE IT COSTS A LOT TO RUN THE WASTE FACILITY, AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, YEAH. I THINK A BIG CULTURAL ASPECT OF OUR COMMUNITY.

SOUNDS SO SILLY, BUT AGAIN, IT'S REAL YOU KNOW IT'S REAL BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A LARGE RESPONSE TO THIS,

[00:30:02]

AND SOMETHING LIKE AMAZON DAY IS LIKE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THERE'S I THINK IT WAS 130 SOME ODD PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP, VEHICLES WHO SHOW UP JUST FOR SALVAGE ON DURING AMNESTY DAY.

WHICH IS LIKE A FIFTH OR SO OF THE AMOUNT OF VEHICLES THAT COME IN.

BUT SO YEAH, THAT'S. YEAH. WELL, I AM IN GENERAL SUPPORT.

I THINK THAT IS LIKE THE ONE THING THAT I JUST HAVE TO MULL OVER OR CONSIDER FROM THE COMMUNITY.

LIKE, DO WE WANT TO PAY FOR THIS? BUT, LIKE, SUBSIDIZE IT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF MAINTAINING SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY LIKE.

OR HOW MANY PEOPLE REALLY, ACTUALLY DO HAVE THOSE FEELINGS ABOUT IT? SURE. I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, LIKE, YEAH, THERE PROBABLY WILL BE A RESPONSE TO THIS.

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS OUR JOB IS TO RUN THE FACILITY AND BRING FORWARD OPTIONS, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY. THE SOLID WASTE FUND SHOULD OPERATE AT LEAST AT A BREAK EVEN LEVEL, IF NOT A SLIGHT SURPLUS FOR UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT IT'S NOT DOING THAT YET. SO WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD A FEW OPTIONS TO REDUCE THOSE COSTS AND MAYBE BECOME MORE RECOVERABLE.

SO WE DO AGREE. IT IS A BELOVED FACILITY AND WE LOVE IT.

SO JUST TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. YEAH. SO THANKS.

YEAH. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR COCHRANE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, CHRIS.

I THINK I CAN ECHO THE COMMENTS OF COUNCILLOR MCGURK THAT WE ALWAYS LOVE TALKING ABOUT WASTE HERE. A FEW QUESTIONS.

FIRST, HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE FOR YOUR STAFF TO SORT THROUGH THE WASTE BROUGHT FORWARD TO FIND SOME OF THE HAZARDOUS MATERIAL THAT IS SNUCK IN ON EACH OF THESE AMNESTY DAYS? IT'S HARD TO PUT AN EXACT NUMBER ON THAT.

AND THE REALITY IS, SOMETIMES WE DON'T CATCH THEM, RIGHT? OUR GOAL IS TO CLEAR THE SPACE UP IN AN EFFICIENT AND TIMELY WAY SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE COLLECTING WASTE.

BUT I CAN SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS WEEKEND WAS NOT AN AMNESTY WEEK.

IT WAS JUST A REGULAR COME TO THE LANDFILL AND DISPOSE OF YOUR WASTE AND SALVAGE IF YOU CHOOSE TO.

AND OUR ENTIRE MONDAYS IS TAKEN UP CLEANING UP THAT AREA.

SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF LIKE, HOW MUCH TIME IS BEING DEDICATED TO MANAGING WASTE AND MANAGING THE PUBLIC DROP OFF AREA WHERE A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES HAPPEN. ON A REGULAR WEEKEND, WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE DAY THAT'S WRITTEN OFF JUST TO DEAL WITH THAT GARBAGE.

IT'S A LOT MORE DURING THE AMNESTY WEEKEND OR DAY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND BECAUSE SOME OF THAT MATERIAL IS MISSED, WHILE ON A SAFETY MATTER, WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL THAT MATERIAL COULD ALSO LEAD TO A SUBSURFACE FIRE? LIKE YOU'RE READING MY MIND. YEAH. SO IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE HAD TO DEAL WITH A SUBSURFACE FIRE THIS FALL / WINTER.

AND THESE THINGS HAPPEN. BUT WE COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE MINDFUL AND PROACTIVE IN TERMS OF HOW WE PLACE AND MANAGE WASTE.

I HAVE MY THEORIES AS TO WHAT STARTED THIS SUBSURFACE OXIDATION EVENT, THIS SUBSURFACE LANDFILL FIRE.

BUT SOMETHING THAT DID NOT HELP WAS WHEN MY GUYS HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO EMPTY OUT C AND D CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION BINS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SEE A PROPANE TANK, RIGHT? I'M PRETTY SURE. AND THIS IS ONLY FROM ME AS A MANAGER, NOT AN OPERATOR, AS MY GUYS ARE WORKING TO MANAGE THAT SUBSURFACE OXIDATION EVENT, TWO, THREE PROPANE TANKS CAME OUT, RIGHT? AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO.

WE TRY OUR BEST, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO TRULY MONITOR AND HELP PEOPLE SORT.

WE'RE RELYING ON PEOPLE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS AND BEING HONEST.

BUT IF THEY DON'T, AND IF WE DON'T VALUE THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, PEOPLE JUST BE LIKE, HEY, WHATEVER. DUMP IT IN THE BIN. AND THEN IT HAS THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST IN THE LOOP OF DEALING WITH SUBSURFACE FIRES OR DEALING WITH HAZARDOUS WASTE THAT HAS COME OUT BECAUSE NOBODY KNEW IT WAS THERE.

BECAUSE WE'RE SO BUSY TRYING TO GET THAT LINE SHORT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND OUT.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.

[00:35:02]

AND I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS CANADA WITH REGARDS TO SUBSURFACE FIRES.

AND THEY WERE LIKE, THAT'S IMPRESSIVE. THAT'S IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE LIKE IN CALLAWAY SPENT $16 MILLION, RIGHT? AND I THINK WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE BECAUSE ME AND THE GUYS, WE SPENT TIME PLANNING TO STAGE AREAS APPROPRIATELY IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH SUBSURFACE FIRES OR ANY EVENTS. BUT THAT TAKES TIME AND ENERGY, RIGHT? SO I'D MUCH RATHER PUT OUR TIME AND ENERGY TOWARDS THOSE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND COMPLIANCE ISSUES THAN MANAGING FOLKS TRYING TO SAVE $16.50. AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRIS. IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO HEAR FROM NOT ONLY TO US, BUT TO THE PUBLIC AS A WHOLE. TO THE VOUCHER SYSTEM.

HOW MANY RESIDENTS DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE CURBSIDE CART PROGRAM? DO WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS? I DO NOT HAVE THOSE NUMBERS AT THE TIP OF MY TONGUE.

I'M SURE WE CAN FIGURE THEM OUT, THOUGH. YEAH, I WOULD IMAGINE YOU DIDN'T BRING THE FACT THAT MOST PEOPLE JUST RANDOMLY THROW INTO GARBAGE CANS THE ONES WHO ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM, OF COURSE. A QUESTION TO THE ADMINISTRATION, BEING THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE OF GREAT IMPORT, WHY WASN'T THIS BROUGHT UP IN WORK PLAN CONSIDERATIONS FOR DISCUSSION? THANKS. I WOULD SAY IT'S PART OF OUR OVERALL WORK PLAN IS PART OF THE STRATEGIC WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT'S CONSTANTLY OCCURRING.

WE DID DO A STRATEGIC WASTE MANAGEMENT UPDATE THAT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL YET.

IT WAS DONE ON THE HEELS OF THE 2018 STUDY. WE WANTED TO MODERNIZE IT INTO 2025 BECAUSE LOTS OF STUFF HAS CHANGED SINCE 2018, PARTICULARLY AROUND RECYCLING MARKETS AND STUFF.

SO THERE WERE SOME HIGH LEVEL, HIGH IMPACT OBJECTIVES IN THE 2018 PLAN THAT PROBABLY AREN'T OUR REALITY ANYMORE AROUND PLASTICS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WHILE IT WASN'T SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED TO BRING AMNESTY FORWARD, THERE WAS A STRATEGIC WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND THAT'S WHAT THE PRESENTATION TOUCHED ON. WE WANTED TO BRING THINGS FORWARD AND I GUESS A SYSTEMIC MANNER.

SO AMNESTY WAS THE FIRST DISCUSSION. CONSTRUCTION OF THE LANDFILL CELL IS CONCURRENT, BUT FOLLOWING THAT WILL BE THE TIPPING FEE STRUCTURE DISCUSSION, WHICH WILL TIE TO THE WEIGHT-OUT SCALE.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE WANT TO MOVE TOWARDS A MORE REGIMENTED WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.

SO THERE'LL BE CHANGES. ONCE WE GET THE FEE STRUCTURE IN, WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SOLID WASTE BY-LAW REVISIONS, PROBABLY REPEAL AND REPLACEMENT. SO THAT'LL BE COMING AFTERWARDS.

SO IT'S KIND OF THE FIRST DOMINO TO FALL IN A FEW IN REGARDS TO THE WASTE MANAGEMENT SECTOR, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE AND EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED TO HEAR, BECAUSE I HAVE TO ADMIT I WAS TEMPTED TO INTRODUCE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS UNTIL 2027 BEING THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T UP FOR WORK PLAN DISCUSSIONS, BUT HEARING THE FACT THAT IT ACTUALLY WAS IN MANY WAYS JUST ATTACHED TOWARDS THIS.

I'M PREPARED TO MAKE A DECISION AT THIS TIME.

I WILL SUPPORT THE INTRODUCTION OF THE VOUCHERS TWO YEAR PILOT PROJECT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF A TRANSITION, THAT WAY OUR, LET'S SAY, CULTURALLY ATTACHED YELLOWKNIFERS TO THE AREA WILL HAVE TIME TO BE ABLE TO PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THE EVENTUAL CANCELLATION OF AMNESTY, WHICH ON OVERALL QUESTIONS OF SAFETY, CAPACITY AND GENERAL GOOD GOVERNANCE OF OUR WASTE FACILITY IS GOING TO BE INEVITABLE.

BUT AT THIS TIME, TO CREATE THAT TRANSITION AND TO CREATE THE DECISION FOR THE FUTURE COUNCIL AFTER THAT PILOT PROJECT.

I WILL SUPPORT THE TWO VOUCHER SYSTEM. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. NEXT I HAVE COUNCILLOR PAYNE FOLLOWED BY COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH AFTERWARDS.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. FIRST, BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTIONS, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, MR. VAUGHN, I THINK THAT YOU GUYS DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB AT THE LANDFILL FACILITY.

I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE DUMP FOR 30 YEARS, AND, LIKE, IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE THE JOURNEY THAT OUR DUMP HAS SEEN OVER THE LAST THREE DECADES. JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE, HOW MUCH OF A DEFICIT ARE WE ACTUALLY RUNNING PER YEAR AT OUR LANDFILL? DO YOU HAVE THOSE NUMBERS? SURE. RIGHT NOW IT'S ABOUT $1 MILLION PROJECTED FOR THIS YEAR.

IN THE PAST, IT HAS BEEN AS LOW AS $12 MILLION.

I'M WAY OUT OF MY DEPTH HERE, AND I WON'T PUT MR. MINISH ON THE SPOT, BUT IT WAS RELATED TO PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING REGULATIONS IN REGARDS TO HOW THE LANDFILL LIABILITY WAS CARRIED ON THE BOOKS. AND I THINK THERE WERE SOME CHANGES TO THAT AROUND 2021, AND THAT'S NO LONGER REFLECTED AS AN OVERALL LARGE DEFICIT.

[00:40:04]

BUT PROJECTING OVERALL THIS YEAR, IN 2025, OUR OPERATING EXPENDITURES WERE FALLING ABOUT $1 MILLION SHORT OF PROJECTED REVENUE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH, I GUESS, DEPENDS ON WHO YOU TALK TO.

FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PAY A VISIT TO THE LEDUC COUNTY LANDFILL DOWN HERE, WHILE I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE.

AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN REALLY IMPRESSED WITH HOW THEY DO THINGS, AND I CAN EVENTUALLY SEE US WORKING TOWARDS SOMETHING LIKE THAT POSSIBLY.

SO AFTER THE WEIGHT-IN SCALES ARE ARE INSTALLED, ARE WE LOOKING AT, LIKE, EVENTUALLY LIKE UPGRADING OUR SYSTEM THAT WE WILL HAVE, LIKE, RIGHT NOW WE'LL HAVE TWO VOUCHERS.

BUT I MEAN, A LOT OF TIMES THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST NEED TO GET RID OF SOME GARBAGE.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE A WASTE TO USE TWO VOUCHERS.

I KNOW DOWN HERE THEY USE, YOU GET X AMOUNT PER YEAR FOR FREE, RIGHT? AND SO MANY KILOGRAMS. SO IF I CAN'T MAKE IT, THERE'S A PARTY OR CHRISTMAS TIME AND I CAN'T MAKE IT TILL THAT NEXT GARBAGE DAY. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO TRY TO FIND THINGS TO FILL UP MY TRUCK TO USE TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF MY VOUCHER SYSTEM.

BUT IF WE WERE ON A WEIGHT-IN, WEIGHT-OUT PROGRAM, WHICH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR SCALES HERE PRETTY SOON, EVENTUALLY WE LOOK AT LIKE A TOTAL WEIGHT THAT YOU CAN HAVE PER YEAR.

AND I MEAN, THAT COULD BE 20 VISITS IF YOU WANT, IF YOU JUST HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GET THROUGH TILL THE NEXT GARBAGE DAY.

SO THAT'S MY QUESTION. YEAH. I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF THE GUYS IN LEDUC AND THEY DID BRING UP THAT STRUCTURE THAT THEY HAVE.

IT IS A LOT OF MANAGEMENT IN TERMS OF SOFTWARE AND GATE HOUSE AND WHATNOT.

IT COULD BE A POSSIBILITY. I'M NOT SURE WE'RE THERE AS OF YET.

BUT YEAH, ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE. I THINK WE NEED TO FIND A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR US, THAT WORKS WITHIN OUR RESOURCES AND WORKS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S REALLY POSITIVE THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. IN REGARDS TO, I MEAN, WE KNOW HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO RUN THE DUMP OR THE LANDFILL.

IT'S LIKE CALLING GRANTS. AQUATIC CENTER OR POOL.

WE DON'T DO THAT. IT'S NOT A DUMP. IT'S A LANDFILL.

SO DO WE HAVE ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE TO LOOK AT? MAYBE REUSING SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE HAVE, MAYBE AN INCINERATOR PROGRAM, LIKE WHERE WE CAN INCINERATE SOME OF OUR WASTE, AND MAYBE EVEN PROVIDE HEAT FOR THE BATHING FACILITY OR THE GATEHOUSE? IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE BOOKS FOR TALKS ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE? I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS CONVERSATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE.

I KNOW THERE ARE PRIVATE ENTITIES WHO ARE KIND OF WORKING TOWARDS THAT END GOAL OF REUSING WASTE, AND I THINK THE CITY WILL ALWAYS BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE SUPPORT PRIVATE ENTITIES AND PRIVATE BUSINESSES FOR JUMPING IN ON THIS.

THAT WOULD STILL REQUIRE US TO HAVE MORE STRINGENT DIFFERENTIAL TIPPING FEES SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THAT WANTED MATERIAL OUT OF THE REGULAR WASTE STREAM.

SO OUR PART IN TERMS OF THE LANDFILL MANAGEMENT IS REALLY TO HAVE A TIPPING FEE THAT, A, COVERS THE COST OF LANDFILLING, BUT ALSO INCENTIVIZES PEOPLE TO TAKE THE TIME TO GET THAT GOOD STUFF OUT, WHETHER IT'S THE PELLETS WHETHER IT'S ORGANICS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE. SO THERE'S DEFINITELY WORK TO BE DONE.

I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST TO KIND OF PUT THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER.

WE HAVE WAYS THAT CAN BE A SOURCE OF HEAT, WHY NOT HEAT BUILDINGS OR EVEN HAVE A PILOT PROJECT AT OUR FACILITY.

ALL DOABLE, BUT RIGHT NOW, I THINK THE FEE STRUCTURE IS PROBABLY OUR NEXT STEP IN ORDER TO SEPARATE THE GOOD WASTE FROM THE BAD WASTE.

OKAY. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING, BUT THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH.

THANK YOU. I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

AND DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THE LIMITED CAPACITY FOR YOUR TEAM BASED ON WHAT IS DOABLE AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE OVER AT THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY.

I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF REMOVING AMNESTY. JUST CUT AND DRY.

FOR ME, THE JOB OF ADMINISTRATION IS TO BRING FORWARD YOUR BEST RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THIS BEING YOUR EXPERTISE.

DEFINITELY, YOU BROUGHT FORWARD A GREAT PRESENTATION.

MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY FOR ADMINISTRATION, FOR THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE.

[00:45:03]

WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES. AND DEPENDING ON WHERE WITHIN CITY LIMITS IT'S LOCATED, WE WILL HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO DEAL WITH THAT.

IT'S A PROBLEM THAT NOT ONLY THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE DEALS WITH, BUT ALSO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIES.

PERFECT. AND I JUST WANTED THAT TO BE CLEAR FOR RESIDENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DO HAVE OPTIONS IF THEY DO SEE ILLEGAL DUMPING.

LIKE I SAID, I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF REMOVING AMNESTY.

I THINK EVEN THOUGH SALVAGING AREA IS GREATLY LOVED, WE DO HAVE A LOVELY SALVAGERS FACEBOOK PAGE THAT MANY PEOPLE DO VISIT. AND I THINK THAT CAN ALLEVIATE A LOT FOR PEOPLE FROM JUST DUMPING OVER AT THE DUMP JUST FOR AND FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING. BUT I'M IN FULL SUPPORT.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. OKAY, BEFORE WE GET AROUND TO, I GUESS I'LL.

YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SHARE MINE BEFORE WE GET AROUND TO.

SOUNDS LIKE EVERYBODY'S DONE. A FEW QUESTIONS.

WHEN IS THE NEXT AMNESTY DAY SCHEDULED AT THE SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITY, BALLPARK-ISH? WE HAVEN'T SET A SPECIFIC DATE. USUALLY WE'D PROBABLY SEE ONE IN SEPTEMBER.

THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING ON SITE, THE SCALE AND WHATNOT, SO WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.

BUT USUALLY WE WOULD HAVE ONE IN THE FALL. OKAY.

THANKS. AND JUST CONFIRMING, I HEARD, FROM EARLIER YOU MENTIONED THAT THE NEW WEIGHT-IN SCALES WOULD BE OPERATIONAL IN A FEW MONTHS.

LIKE, ISH, THAT'S THE TIMELINE WE'RE EXPECTING? IT WOULD BE INSTALLED. WE KIND OF HAVE TO KIND OF SEE HOW IT WORKS AND MAKE SURE OUR SYSTEMS ARE IN PLACE, BUT IT'LL BE INSTALLED BY HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS BEFORE SNOW HITS THE GROUND.

OKAY. THANKS. AND HOW MANY ILLEGAL DUMPING INSTANCES DOES THE CITY CURRENTLY DEAL WITH ON AN AVERAGE EACH MONTH? LIKE, HOW MANY DO WE GET NOTIFIED ABOUT? THAT'S HARD TO SAY BECAUSE WE GET THESE NOTIFICATIONS COMING THROUGH DIFFERENT AVENUES.

SOMETIMES THEY GO DIRECTLY TO MED. SOMETIMES THEY COME TO US, SOMETIMES THEY GO TO GMT.

I'VE BEEN NOTICING SOME, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ILLEGAL.

IT'S ILLEGAL DUMPING, BUT PEOPLE TRYING TO PERHAPS DO A GOOD THING BY CONSOLIDATING ALL THE WASTE THAT CAN BE FOUND IN ALL AREAS OF TOWN. AND WE'RE NOW WORKING ON A SYSTEM TO BETTER KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF IT.

BUT IT'S A THING THAT WE CONSTANTLY SEE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.

I COULDN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT AMOUNT IN TERMS OF TONNAGE PER SE, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON HAVING A SYSTEM WHERE WE CAN BETTER REPORT THAT AND TIE COST TO IT, IF I COULD ADD. SO JUST TO UNDERSCORE, WE ARE TRACKING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, NOT INCIDENTS YET.

THANK YOU. PERFECT. THEN THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.

I HEARD DIRECTOR GREENCORN MENTIONED THAT. SO JUST CURIOUS IF WE HAD THE NUMBERS.

SO POST WHATEVER DECISION COUNCIL MAKES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A KIND OF A BASELINE TO WORK FROM WHEN DO YOU WHEN DOES STAFF ANTICIPATE THE UPDATED TIPPING FEES WOULD LIKELY COME TO COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION? DECEMBER. DECEMBER. OKAY. SO AS PART OF BUDGET.

YEAH. WELL, SORRY, I'LL CLARIFY. WE WOULD PROBABLY BRING FORWARD A MEMO DETAILING OPTIONS PRIOR TO DECEMBER AND THEN GET INTO FURTHER DELIBERATIONS ON THE ACTUAL FEES AND CHARGES, BY-LAW CHANGES DURING COUNCIL DELIBERATIONS AS TYPICAL.

SO, SORRY. IT WOULD PROBABLY BE PRIOR TO THAT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO HANDLE IT ALL.

DURING DELIBERATIONS, WE WOULD PREEMPT THAT WITH A DISCUSSION SIMILAR TO THIS.

PERFECT, THANK YOU. IN YOUR REVIEW OF COSTS CHARGED BY OTHER JURISDICTIONS, DID YOU GUYS COME ACROSS ANY INCENTIVES FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE LIKE PAINTS, OILS, PROPANE TANKS? I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE I SHARE THAT CONCERN MENTIONED BY COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN ABOUT PEOPLE SAVING UP.

YOU KNOW, THEIR USED OIL FROM OIL CHANGES AND BRING IT IN BULK.

IS THERE A WAY OR IS THERE METHODS OR APPROACHES OUT THERE THAT HELP, YOU KNOW, MAYBE DEAL WITH COST RECOVERY OF THE WASTE, BUT HELPS ALSO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THEY BRING THAT HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IN? OH, FANTASTIC QUESTION. WE RECENTLY HOSTED A HAZARDOUS DAY, WEEKEND OR HAZARDOUS EVENT WHICH WAS WELL RECEIVED BY THE PUBLIC.

I THINK THIS WAS GOOD AND ALMOST I WANTED TO TEST IT OUT AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO AMNESTY, BECAUSE AT LEAST THIS WAY, WE ARE ABLE TO GET THOSE PROBLEMATIC HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OUT OF THE REGULAR WASTE STREAM COMES WITH AT A COST,

[00:50:03]

THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER. THAT IS AN AMAZING RESPONSE FOR ME.

AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOUR TEAM IS PLANNING ON DOING MOVING FORWARD WITH SIMILAR OR DIFFERENT TYPES OF WASTE STREAMS? WE'LL SEE. WE'RE DEFINITELY EXPLORING DIFFERENT WAYS TO KIND OF ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE THE TIME TO SORT.

AGAIN, ALL THESE THINGS COME WITH A COST. SO IF WE CAN FIND WAYS TO REDUCE COSTS, I.E.

WITH AMNESTY, WE CAN PERHAPS USE THAT SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY TO HELP SUPPORT EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS AND EVENTS THAT ARE MORE MANAGEABLE FOR US. PERFECT, THANK YOU. LAST QUESTION.

WILL THOSE POST CLOSURE LANDFILL COSTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE LEACHATE MONITORING AND THE OTHER MONITORING THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE REGULATIONS AND THE WATER LICENSE? WHEN YOU BRING FORWARD THOSE TIPPING FEES PRIOR TO BUDGET, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THOSE LONGER TERM OPERATIONAL POST CLOSURE COSTS BEING INCORPORATED INTO THERE AS FAR AS TRYING TO GET TO THAT FULL COST RECOVERY, THOSE LONG TERM COSTS ARE UNCERTAIN. A REGULATION FROM THE HIGHER, SORRY, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN CHANGE, YOU KNOW. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE TO INSTALL WELLS TO GET METHANE, RIGHT? SO THAT WOULD CHANGE. SO I CAN SAY THEY'RE FULLY INCORPORATED INTO THE TIPPING FEES, BUT WE DO CONSIDER THEM.

AND I THINK, AS WE CONTINUE TO TWEAK OUR TO BE FIELDS, YOU'LL SEE THEM BE MORE INCORPORATED IN YEARS TO COME.

I ALSO FEAR LIKE. SPOILER ALERT. THE TIPPING FEES MAY HAVE TO GO UP.

AND I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE TO BALANCE THAT.

WE CAN'T JUST DOUBLE OUR TIPPING FEES AND GIVE THE COMMUNITY A MONTH NOTICE.

WE HAVE TO BE STRATEGIC AS TO HOW WE RAISE THE TIPPING FEES.

BUT AT LEAST WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS GIVING YOU, THE DECISION MAKERS, THE DATA AND THE BEHIND THE SCENES REASONING AS TO WHY WE WANT TO DO THIS. AND POST CLOSURE AND CLOSURE COSTS ARE PART OF THAT.

YEAH. THANKS FOR THAT ANSWER. YEAH, I GUESS MY THOUGHT AT THIS TIME, BEFORE HEARING FOLKS QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS IN ROUND TWO IS JUST, I ALSO LEAN TOWARDS THE RECOMMENDATION FROM ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS TO JUST STOP THE AMNESTY DAYS FULL STOP.

BECAUSE PRIMARILY THE LIABILITIES ISSUES AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE EXTRA WORKLOAD AND POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES FOR STAFF DURING THOSE EVENTS.

I MEAN, THAT, TO ME, IF SOMETHING EVER HAPPENED, SOMEONE PULLING A PROPANE TANK OUT OF A FIRE OR SOMEONE GOT HIT BY HEAVY EQUIPMENT, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT EVER WORTH IT. AND WE, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT $1 MILLION DEFICIT.

AND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE TALK ABOUT WATER RATES AND THAT KIND OF SIMILARITY WITH THIS, HOWEVER, I THINK THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT IF WE ARE NOT RECOUPING OUR COSTS AND WE HAVE TO PUT THAT ON TAXES, EVERYBODY. WE'RE BASICALLY SUBSIDIZING IT AND EVERYBODY'S COVERING THAT WHEN REALLY LIKE THERE'S NO INCENTIVE FOR WASTE MINIMIZATION FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FILLING THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR VEHICLES AND PAYING 16 BUCKS.

AND IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT THAT FEE IS GENEROUSLY LOW.

I ALSO HAD THE CONCERN ABOUT ILLEGAL DUMPING.

AND SO WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT LIKE, WHY DO PEOPLE DO THAT? I MEAN, I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T SHARE THE VALUES OF MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY ARE GOING TO KEEP DOING THAT. AND THIS IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THAT. AND I ALSO THINK ABOUT THE COST AS A BARRIER. SO THE ONLY THING I WOULD THROW OUT THERE IS LIKE I'M NOT NECESSARILY IN SUPPORT OF THE VOUCHER SYSTEM, BUT YOU KNOW, TAGGING THAT VOUCHER SYSTEM TO LIKE LOW INCOME FAMILIES SO THAT FEE, WHATEVER IT BECOMES OR IF IT INCREASES IN THE FUTURE, DOESN'T CREATE A BARRIER TO PEOPLE WHO CAN'T ACTUALLY AFFORD IT. SO, YOU KNOW, TAKING IT TO THE EXCESS FOR OUR PROGRAM IS ANOTHER BENEFIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ANYWAYS, THAT'S JUST WHERE I AM AT THIS MOMENT.

SO JUST TO SHARE THAT WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND WE'LL START ROUND TWO.

I THINK COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN WON THE RACE ON THAT ONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS AND THE GREAT ANSWERS.

YEAH. I'M IN FAVOR OF SCRAPPING AMNESTY DAYS, AS PER THE RECOMMENDATION, FULL STOP.

I THINK IT CREATES BETTER INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WASTE THEY PRODUCE.

AND I THINK IT'S A HUGE STEP TOWARDS CONTROLLING THE COSTS IN OUR COMMUNITY OF THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY.

AS YOU MENTIONED, THE COST OF CLOSING AND MANAGING CLOSED CELLS, ALONG WITH INFLATION AND OTHER THINGS, IT'S REALLY LIKE A DOUBLING. IT'S NOT JUST ONE THING INCREASING OUR COST.

IT'S GOING TO BE MULTIPLE THINGS. SO IT'S JUST THIS LIKE BALLOONING SKYROCKETING CURVE THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND.

AND I THINK, YEAH, AS YOU SAID, THIS SORT OF LIKE HAS TO BE DONE AT SOME POINT.

[00:55:01]

I THINK THAT IS A VERY SMALL MINORITY OF PEOPLE.

AS INDIVIDUALS, WE NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS AND THE WAYS WE PRODUCE. GOVERNMENT IS A BACKSTOP, BUT IT'S THE ACTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT CREATE OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE NEED TO KEEP THIS IN MIND AS INDIVIDUALS.

YEAH. THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK AND FOR THE IDEA AROUND THE HAZARDOUS WASTE EVENT.

YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT ONE. I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA STEVE MENTIONED AROUND INCINERATION FOR HEAT AT THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY, AND THAT THAT'S ON THE RADAR OUT THERE, PERHAPS AS A GOAL IN THE FUTURE.

AND ALSO THE IDEA AROUND JUST MENTIONED BY COUNCIL, FORGET ABOUT ACCESS FOR ALL AND LINKING THAT TO PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DISPOSE OF ITEMS THAT THEY NEED TO AS A WAY TO CURB ILLEGAL DUMPING AND SORT OF AN IDEA OUT THERE.

SO, YEAH. IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION AND SCRAPPING THE AMNESTY DAYS FULL STOP.

THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN. YEAH. COUNCILLOR MCLENNAN JUST TRIGGERED SOMETHING IN MY HEAD, AND IT'S A GREAT TIME TO PLUG THE FREE SERVICES WE DO PROVIDE.

SO I RECENTLY MOVED OUT OF A TOWNHOUSE CONDO DEVELOPMENT, AND I HAVE MY OWN GARBAGE TO WASTE NOW INSTEAD OF A DUMPSTER OR WASTE TO MANAGE.

SO I'M GETTING VERY GOOD. WELL, I ALWAYS DID MY CARDBOARD, SO I'M GOING TO PULL THE PLUG ON THAT.

BUT WE DO PROVIDE SEVERAL FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE TOWN TO DIVERT PLASTICS WASTE, CARDBOARD WASTE, BOARD BOX WASTE AND COMPOST CAN BE DROPPED OFF AT THIS FACILITY FOR FREE.

SO IF YOU'RE DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS, YOU CAN DRAMATICALLY REDUCE YOUR WASTES AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE FREE SERVICES WE DO PROVIDE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT LITTLE PLUG IN THERE SINCE WE'VE HAD SOME HOT TOPICS ON RECYCLE BINS LATELY.

THANKS. I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN TO THE SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITY SINCE WE GOT OUR GREEN CARD.

IT MAKES THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE. I HAD COUNCILLOR WARBURTON NEXT, JUST HAVING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES, BUT HE'S THERE IN SPIRIT AND IN BODY.

COUNCILLOR WARBURTON, CAN YOU HEAR US? WE CANNOT HEAR YOU.

YOUR MIC IS MUTED. IF YOU'RE THERE. IF NOT, WE CAN GO TO MAYOR HENDRIKSEN JUST WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR COUNCILLOR WARBURTON TO FIX THAT. SO, MAYOR HENDRIKSEN ROUND TWO. YEAH.

THANKS VERY MUCH. YEAH. MORE JUST A PROCESS REMINDER FOR ANYONE REPORTING ON THIS AND FOR RESIDENTS WHO HEAR ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION.

JUST A REMINDER THAT AS PART OF OUR WORK AS COUNCIL, ISSUES COME TO GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE FIRST.

BEFORE THIS COMES TO COUNCIL FOR A FINAL DECISION, RESIDENTS, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO ENGAGE WITH US.

SO IF YOU HEAR SOMETHING YOU LIKED OR DIDN'T LIKE IN TERMS OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WENT TODAY, THAT'S WHAT THIS PROCESS IS ABOUT. SO IT'S JUST A REMINDER.

A LOT OF THE FEEDBACK COUNCIL RECEIVED OFTEN IS HOW COULD YOU MAKE SUCH A DECISION? I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT MEDIA IS REPORTING ON THIS AND RESIDENTS WHO WANT TO PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK, WE WANT TO HEAR THAT FEEDBACK. BUT JUST TO UNDERSTAND, THIS IS OUR FIRST COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS ON THESE DECISIONS AND ON THESE SORTS OF DECISION PROCESSES. AND ULTIMATELY, THESE DECISIONS COME TO COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS CAN COME AND SPEAK TO COUNCIL OR WRITE TO US AS PART OF THAT DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

SO JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION AND PROVIDE THAT REMINDER TO WHAT THE MEDIA REPORTING AND TO RESIDENTS WHO WILL HEAR ABOUT THIS AND THINK ABOUT THIS GOING FORWARD.

SO THANKS FOR THAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR HENDRIKSEN.

VERY IMPORTANT POINT FOR FOLKS. ANYONE ELSE FOR AROUND TWO? COUNCILLOR FOOTE. I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M. PARDON ME.

GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE SCRAPPING THE AMNESTY.

I KIND OF LIKE THE IDEA OF A SINGLE VOUCHER, BUT THAT'S TO BE DISCUSSED FURTHER.

I THINK I'M JUST STILL HUNG UP ON THE ILLEGAL DUMPING AND A BIT OF INCENTIVIZING HERE.

A COUPLE WEEKS BACK, THERE WAS A GROUP OF JUST INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS WHO EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN ABOUT A LOT OF ILLEGAL DUMPING AT KM 308 ON HIGHWAY THREE, WHICH IS OUT OF CITY LIMITS. BUT YOU SEE A LOT OF THAT HAPPENING.

PEOPLE DRIVE OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS AND THEY DUMP APPLIANCES AND EVERYTHING.

AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THE GENEROSITY OF CAVANAUGH BROTHERS AND THE TIME OF RESIDENCE, IT WOULD STILL BE OUT IN THE BUSH TODAY.

SO INCENTIVIZING IS HUGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR FOOTEE.

AND YEAH. A RESPONSE. JUST ON AN INTERESTING NOTE AS WELL.

SO THE AMNESTY PROGRAM, IF YOU WILL, HOW IT'S BEEN PRESENTED AND HOW IT IS, IT'S FOR HOUSEHOLD WASTE ONLY. SO A LOT OF THESE SURCHARGE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING ILLEGALLY DUMPED, THEY USUALLY SHOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER AMNESTY.

[01:00:02]

BUT IT IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE THE INTENT OF AMNESTY IS TO FOCUS ON HOUSEHOLD WASTE.

I ALSO GOT TO GET A PLUG IN HERE FOR DIVERSION EFFORTS, BECAUSE PART OF OUR OVERALL GOAL AT THE SOLID WASTE FACILITIES DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL. WE DON'T WANT ANY GARBAGE COMING TO THE LANDFILL AT ALL.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO EMPHASIZE DIVERSION METHODS.

AND ONE OF THOSE DIVERSION METHODS IS TO I DON'T WANT TO SAY PUT IN A PUNISHING FEE, BUT YOU CAN DISPOSE OF SAID SURCHARGE ITEMS AT STEEL RECYCLERS IN TOWN FOR A CHEAPER FEE, AND THEY THEN TAKE THAT, RECYCLE THE MATERIAL AND RECYCLE IT IN A PROPER MANNER, IN A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT MANNER THAN THE SOLID WASTE FACILITY CAN DO IT.

SO THIS WILL ALSO BE COMING FORWARD IN FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ON VARIOUS WASTE STREAMS. SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT PLUG IN THERE IS THAT WE SOMETIMES WE DO SET OUR FEES TO INCENTIVIZE FOLKS TO TAKE IT TO A DESIGNATED RECYCLER.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING FACILITY.

SO THANKS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE GATEHOUSE ATTENDANTS ALWAYS DO, WHEN YOU'RE BRINGING IN APPLIANCES, WE DO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER PLACES.

YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE THE CITY AS A MIDDLEMAN. WE DON'T LIKE TO BE THE MIDDLEMAN, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE ENTERING OUR EQUIPMENT. THAT'S TIME TAKEN AWAY FROM OTHER TASKS AS WELL. AND LIKE MISTER GREENCORN SAID, ALL THAT WOULD BE PRESENTED IN FUTURE DISCUSSIONS.

WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING. OR MY GOAL IS TO FOCUS ON SEEING OUR LANDFILL CELLS AS ASSETS AND MAXIMIZING WHAT WE CAN GET OUT OF THEM.

AND THAT MAY MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE SOFTER SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE FOR FREE THAT ARE ACTUALLY COSTING US QUITE A BIT.

OKAY. OKAY.

YEAH, I THINK I MEAN, I AM HEARING GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE RECOMMENDATION FROM ADMINISTRATION TO SCRAP AMNESTY DAYS WITH, YOU KNOW, THOSE ADDED FOCUS OF HAVING THOSE ONE OFF DAYS FOR HAZARDOUS WASTE OR OTHER WASTE STREAMS THAT SEEM MORE IMPORTANT THAN REGULAR WASTE TO INCENTIVIZE THOSE BY HAVING THAT KIND OF FREE DAY. SEEMS LIKE IT WAS WORKED REALLY WELL.

ALSO UPDATING THE FEES TO GENERALLY WORK WITH THE LEVY TO FIND, YOU KNOW, HIGH COST RECOVERY AS WE CAN.

YEAH, JUST DOUBLE CHECKING, JUST TRYING TO BUY A FEW SECONDS UNTIL COUNCILLOR WARBURTON JOINS US BACK.

BUT YEAH, SOMETHING'S HAPPENING ON THE FRONT.

SO WITH THAT, I GUESS WE WILL MOVE THIS FORWARD TO COUNCIL FOR DECISION.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY. MOVING DOWN THE AGENDA TO ITEM 5. MEMORANDUM REGARDING THE 2024 ANNUAL LOCAL SPENDING REPORT AS REQUIRED BY THE LOCAL PROCUREMENT POLICY.

[5. A memorandum regarding 2024 Annual Local Spending Report as required by the Local Procurement Policy.]

WE BELIEVE THAT WE'VE BEEN ON A CONSISTENT RECORD OF RELATIVELY POSITIVE NEWS AND RETURNING DOLLARS INTO THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO TODAY'S REPORT IS IN LINE WITH SOME SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.

AND WE ARE TRACKING AT ABOUT 86% OF OUR EXPENDITURES BEING SPENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WITH SOME SMALL EXCEPTIONS, AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE ON TODAY'S REPORT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? OKAY, SEEING NONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE REPORT.

YEAH. GREAT TO SEE WE'RE HITTING 85.7%. JUST SNEAKING ABOVE IT.

IT SHOWS TRUE THAT WHAT TARGETS YOU SET AND YOU MEASURE IT YOU WILL HIT THEM.

IT'S A LOT EASIER WHEN YOU DO THAT. SO THANK YOU.

AND NEXT WE'RE MOVING IN CAMERA FOR A LAND MATTER FOR ITEM 6.

CAN WE GET A MOTION TO MOVE IN CAMERA PLEASE? MOVED BY COUNCILLOR MCGURK AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR ARDEN-SMITH. OKAY.

RIGHT OFF CAMERA. THAT'S ALL THE BUSINESS FOR TODAY.

LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN. COUNCILLOR MCGURK.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY. SEE YOU THIS EVENING AT 7 P.M..

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.