Committee OK's Winnipeg garbage cart replacement pilot project

After a industrycommittee meeting Friday the city has votedtoadopt a policy that will mean Winnipeg homeowners mayno longerneedto foot the bill to replace damaged garbage and recycling carts.

• City might pay for damaged Winnipeg recycling, garbage bins

The city released a statement Monday sayingit would be considering a garbage and recycling cart replacement plan that would relieve the burden placed on homeowners to pay for new bins that are damaged or vandalized through no fault of their own.

The previous city bylaws held ownersaccountable for replacing carts if anyone besides the waste contractor, Emterra, damaged them.

On Friday, the city's public workscommittee voted in favour of paying for carts damaged by a third party.

Councillor Janice Lukes, whoheads up the committee, said the deal seems fair, but the city is going to keep a close eye on costs.

"We're going to look back within a year's time and that's really important that we look back on it," said Lukes, adding other communities around Manitoba do pay for damaged carts.

One of the voices leading the charge on the garbage cart replacement front, Coun. Ross Eadie said Monday the citys bylaws often wrongfully penalize the majority of homeowners who have had their bins destroyed by vandals.

Why are we charging the victims of crime to pay for something that they never caused in the first place? Eadie said Monday. You can be a cynic all you want. Let's be fair. Homeowners aren't setting their carts on fire."

On Friday, Eadie advocated for even more leeway for homeowners, arguing the program should also cover lost or stolen carts.

The plan still has to be approved by the city's Executive Policy Committee andthe full city council.

City staff said Friday the pilot project could end up costing around $200,000 a year.