By Mark Kuiack
The region just entered the garbage collection business claiming it can save taxpayers $2 million, but many say the promise is anything but in the bag.
Regional councillors awarded the bulk of Ottawa-Carleton’s five-year, $79 million curbside garbage contract to two large multinational companies. But for the first time ever, the region is keeping the rest of the business, officially making itself part of the competition.
While the plan is intended to benefit taxpayers, some residents such as Emile Therien are worried the region doesn’t know what it’s getting itself into. He says employee benefits and office expenses are only a couple of the hidden costs that could turn the proposed $2 million savings into a financial disaster.
“You want to make sure the players in the game are qualified to do the job,” Therien says. “The low bid is not always the answer.”
But Kanata Coun. Alex Munter says the region has done its homework and that if costs start to soar, the regional zone can always be contracted out again.
He also says keeping part of the contract will help prevent a garbage collection monopoly that could hurt taxpayers in the long run.
Munter says if the contract is a success, the region may increase its number of trash collecting areas when a new contract has to be voted on in five years.
“The important thing is that it sends a message to these large companies that if they don’t remain competitive we have an option,” Munter says.
The message has a nearly $16 million pricetag, giving the region trash collecting responsibilities for Vanier, south Ottawa and parts of Gloucester. The region will also spend more than $4 million on garbage trucks for its new business.
Smaller, local operators were shut out of the contract because none was able to give a competitive bid for any of the region’s five large collection zones.
Kris Parsons, who helps run Goulbourn-Stittsville Sanitation, says she’s upset the company spent $15,000 to prepare a realistic bid only to be turned down because of the region’s rough estimates.
She also feels small companies were unfairly painted with the same brush as Exel Environmental, a small operator whose last garbage contract was an embarrassment for the region. Exel promised cheap service for a quarter of the region but was fired in February because of late pickups and financial problems.
Since then, the region has been picking up the trash with few complaints, but Parsons says that’s only because operators like hers often send in trucks to help the region finish its routes on time.
Munter says he’s confident the plan will benefit the taxpayer. Although he’s disappointed small operators were left out, he says granting contracts is not about charity.
“Nobody has the God-given right to pick up trash. The only reason to contract out a service is if it’s cheaper. If it isn’t, it doesn’t make sense.”