SDG Counties director of transportation Ben de Haan presenting the Regional Waste Management: Roadmap to Collaboration Executive Summary and Action Plan to South Dundas Council on Nov. 28.  Tinkess Photo

The first regular meeting for South Dundas Municipal Council took place on Mon., Nov. 28, and everything went off without a hitch. The meeting agenda was relatively light, but a presentation by SDG counties director of transportation Ben de Haan on a regional waste management program, is something that should generate some discussion going forward. Entitled the Regional Waste Management: Roadmap to Collaboration Executive Summary and Action Plan explores the possibility of cost savings and reduced environmental impacts that could be attained should a collaborative approach be adopted across the United Counties of SDG. “It has been a very long and challenging project,” said de Haan, “particularly as it is something that the counties have been working on with local municipalities through the pandemic and that has certainly created some challenges just with abilities and focuses have changed because of the pandemic. I really appreciate all the work that local staff have put in to get to this point. It was no easy task for sure and I’m just one little piece of the big puzzle.” As de Haan explained this is very much a work in progress, but he made some suggestions about what council should consider, recognizing that the various municipalities each have differing challenges, priorities, and levels of service. It was endorsed by SDG council in October 2022.

The four recommendations contained in the 110-page report were:

Obtain a commitment from the six local councils to create a formal Regional Waste Management Working Group (RWMWG)

Focus efforts on a collaborative transition strategy during the individual producer responsibility transition rather than active involvement in the program

Annually provide accurate financial data to the RWMWG

Adopt a regional base level of service

The next steps would be to present the Executive Summary and Action Plan to all local municipalities and obtain their endorsement and commitment, then develop terms of reference for the working group and host their first meeting. The working group would then provide regular reports to local councils.

A motion was subsequently made by Coun. Cole Veinotte and seconded by Coun. Tom Smyth stating that the council of the Municipality of South Dundas endorse the actions identified in the executive summary of the Regional Waste Management Executive Summary and that the CAO and his or her designate represent the municipality of South Dundas by participating as part of the Regional Waste Management Working Group. The motion was passed unanimously.