After learning a White Rock landlord had not arranged private garbage pickup for tenants eight months after city-provided collection for multifamily buildings was discontinued, council voted to amend its garbage bylaw to ensure property owners are providing solid-waste collection services.
Changes to the Collection, Removal, Disposal and Recycling of Solid Waste Bylaw that would force property owners to arrange collection services for tenants – and prevent individuals from disposing of waste on their own – were unanimously given first, second and third reading at Monday’s council meeting.
Last summer, the city discontinued garbage and recycling pickup for multifamily residential and businesses, following several months of protest from residents who opposed the in-camera decision made in late 2014. Building owners, strata groups and businesses were left to arrange their own garbage, recycling and organics pickup.
Mayor Wayne Baldwin told Peace Arch News Monday that a group of tenants in a small building were “kind of stuck” after their landlord refused to arrange a private pickup contract.
“We just found out about this last week,” Baldwin said, noting the residents had been left to dispose of their garbage and recycling on their own since the changes were implemented July 1.
“These bylaw changes will give us some teeth so that we can go to the owner and say, ‘look, you have to do this.’”
While the city did not identify the building, Baldwin said it has fewer than a dozen units. He noted he had not heard of any other similar incidents in the city.
The bylaw amendments do not specify what action the city might take against a landlord who hasn’t provided garbage pickup; Baldwin said the city would look at arranging a contract on behalf of the building, and charging the services back to the owner.