Peachland has scraped the plate on joining a proposed regional food waste collection program.
Kelowna and West Kelowna councils have both said no to the program—for now—citing costs as the main reason.
The cost of a new transfer station—estimated at $12 million—was cited as a major concern during a presentation of the program at Peachland council’s June 100 meeting.
“That seems to be an extremely expensive facility considering what’s required,” Councillor Rick Ingram said.
Travis Kendel, with the Regional District Central Okanagan (RDCO), pointed out that the cost estimate was provided by the project consultant.
“They sized and shared with us the costs for a transfer station to support the region,” he added.
The program would let residents toss food waste into green bins, expanding yard waste pickup to weekly year-round, and reducing garbage collection to every other week.
The cost would be approximately $63 per year for a single-family household. However, without Kelowna on board, that amount rises to more than $150.
Approximately 73 per cent of Central Okanagan residents surveyed liked the idea of a food waste collection program, and about 50 per cent supported paying $63 to pay for it.
Ingram urged the RDCO to find a way to make the program financially viable.
“There must be a way to make this affordable…it achieves so many goals that we have, that the regional district has, it really seems to me to be short-sighted of some our partner municipalities to be abandoning this project.”
Coun. Keith Thom said he had no problem paying a higher fee.
“I’m quite willing to spend $14 a month to get into a good program. So even if it’s $168 instead of $68 (per year), it’s still a pretty darn good bargain.”
However, Thom noted that with Kelowna and West Kelowna opting out—and Kelowna holding the most votes on the RDCO board—the program is not likely to move forward.
Thom, an alternate director for Peachland on the board, said he will speak in favour of the project when feedback from member municipalities is presented to the RDCO at the end of July.
“I will support this vehemently,” he added. “This is a good program.”
A vote on supporting the program was defeated with only Thom and Ingram in favour.
Council then voted to not support the program at this time and—similar to Kelowna and West Kelowna—revisit it in five years.
That motion passed with Thom, Ingram, and Coun. Terry Condon opposed.
