As of this update, there has only been one CVRD Board Meeting, but it was necessary. The Board voted that the Three-Stream Curbside service will include food and yard waste, recycling, garbage and glass collection for all eligible residents in CVRD Electoral Areas. Service will begin in 2025.
It’s important to remember that in 2018, the CVRD Board passed the Solid Waste Management Plan as mandated by the Provincial Government. DUE TO OUR LIMITED LANDFILL CAPACITY, the CVRD transports garbage the region generates to Washington State. Including yard waste and glass collection in the three-stream service puts waste diversion and convenience at the forefront and aligns the CVRD with neighbouring jurisdictions.
After implementing the three-stream curbside collection for single-family dwellings, the CVRD will work to include businesses and residents living in multi-family homes, a first step towards the goal of keeping organics out of landfills, which is 40% of total landfill waste.
Starting in 2025, residents will have a comprehensive organics collection and can add yard waste to their curbside organics totes. Following best practices from WildSafeBC, organics will be collected weekly, and the totes will be equipped with bear-resistant hardware.
One of the main reasons I voted for including yard waste and glass with three-stream collection is because we know that enforcement is more expensive to the taxpayer than providing the additional services. All in all, garbage, recycling, and organic collection will cost $320 annually.
To learn more about waste management in the CVRD, visit https://www.planyourcowichan.ca/curbside-collection.
