City Launches Survey and Information Sessions for Curbside Organic Waste Collection Program
April 6, 2021 - The City of Kamloops is launching an online survey and announcing two virtual information sessions as public engagement efforts for the Curbside Organic Waste Collection Project continue.
The Curbside Organic Waste Collection page on the City’s Let’s Talk engagement website was launched in February with a quick poll and a Q&A feature. The poll was intended to take a snapshot of support for the program. Of the 1,555 people who responded, 84% of respondents support an organic waste collection program.
Over 100 questions were received in the website’s Q&A section, and the most common questions formed the themes for the survey and the virtual information session presentation slides.
Online Survey
The survey seeks to understand attitudes and habits around garbage, food waste, recycling, composting, and yard waste; to identify residents’ priorities and concerns; and to measure overall support for the project.
“What we learn from this survey—including what people currently do with their organic waste and what their primary concerns are about an organics program—will help inform how we approach the project’s design and what collection model will work best for our community,” said Glen Farrow, the City’s Streets and Environmental Services Manager.
Data collected from the survey will also help City staff in selecting routes for the pilot program. A one-year pilot program is scheduled to launch in the fall and will test organic waste collection in up to five areas, which will represent a wide range of attitudes and habits.
While the survey is open to the whole community, Farrow notes that right now, the program development is focused on single- and multi-family homes that receive the City’s curbside collection service. “Apartments and multi-family complexes with shared collection will be addressed in future stages of the program,” he said.
The survey will be open until May 18. Paper copies of the survey can be requested by calling 250-828-3461. Survey respondents can enter to win one of three $100 gift certificates to local garden/landscaping stores.
Virtual Information Sessions
In addition to the survey, two virtual information sessions have been scheduled for Wednesday, April 14, 12:00–1:00 pm, and Thursday, April 29, 6:00–7:00 pm.
The hour-long sessions will feature a presentation from Marcia Dick, the City’s Solid Waste Services Analyst and the project lead, and the rest of the project team. The sessions will outline the project’s background, discuss concerns heard to date, and answer questions.
Registration is not required. The sessions will be hosted via Zoom, and links will be available the day before here on the Let’s Talk Organics web page. A recording of the information sessions will also be posted on the web page following the events.
