Winnipeg waste diversion target difficult to meet, Mayor Brian Bowman admits

Winnipeg likely won't meet its target of diverting 50 per cent of its waste from landfill by 2020, Mayor Brian Bowman admits.

Bowman was pessimistic about meeting that targetas the city begins the process of asking waste management companies forrequests for proposals for new garbage and recycling contracts.

Those contracts do not include provisions for organic waste pickup, widely understood to bekey to reducing greenhouse gases in landfills.

The city is planning public consultations on waste collection, including pickup oforganic waste, but that's still being organized.Fees for pickup of yard, kitchen and animal waste have provoked a backlash by some.

• Opposition to Winnipeg organic waste pickup grows

Winnipeg has fallen behind many other cities in upgrading itswaste collection system and that has an effect on climate change efforts, Bowman admitted.

"Winnipeg is not leading this across Canada, as you know," he said.

A 2011 motion by city council set waste diversion targets that likely will not be met, the mayor said.

"I do believe we are not going to meet those targets set by previous council, but part of city policy right now, without an organics program. We are trying to act as diligently as possible," Bowman said.

Bowman supports targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and believes climate change issues must be dealt with, but acknowledgedthe cost of initiatives such as organic waste pickup (estimatedearlier this year as $55 to $100 per household annually) are a challenge.

"The costing issue is hugely important and shouldn't be diminishedin the sense that we want to get as much value as possible. Cost is one consideration, but other considerations I think the more considerations council has for selecting one or two contracts is more preferential," he said.

Bowman is waiting to hear back from a climate change working group struck to review city policies and make recommendations.

"I'm open to anything that can improve the quality of service, the value for taxpayers, ifwe can," Bowman said.