After being defeated earlier, South Bruce Peninsula’s plan for a new garbage collection by-law will get another chance for approval.
Meeting as Committee of the Whole, Council yesterday decided to consider it for first and second reading at the next regular council meeting.
Councillor Dan Kerr says the idea behind the by-law is to increase the amount of waste being diverted away from the landfill by not allowing residents to put recyclable items in with regular garbage.
Councillors Yvonne Harron and Art King agree that refusing to pick up residents garbage for three months if crews discover recyclable material mixed in with regular garbage is too harsh a penalty and would rather see it limited to two weeks.
King says the town “has no right to be the Gestapo and go through people’s garbage.”
King says getting a new garbage collection by-law in place has been an issue for over two years.
Councillor Ana Vukovic wants to see an end to collection in clear bags out of concerns for privacy.
Councillor Betty Hill wants to see a high maximum fine for illegal dumping, but Councillor Wray Lamont says high maximum fines aren’t usually successfully collected through the court system.
Kerr, and Councillor Mark Wunderlich support the idea of having a five thousand dollar maximum fine for illegal dumping.
There is also a possibility that residents will be allowed one free bag of garbage per week, but they’ll have to pay for tags for additional bags.