Public Engagement
Cosmo Industries, SP Editorial, My Rebuttal
Aug 3rd
The following is an editorial I submitted to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix on Friday (July 31, 2010), in response to an editorial written by Gary Nickel of Cosmopolitan Industries on the topic of recycling. No word yet from the SP if they intend to publish it or not.
Time to get serious about Recycling
It was unfortunate to read the mis-leading arguments being put forward by Cosmopolitan Industries over the current recycling debate in our city (Think beyond the “blue box”, July 30, 2010).
In their article and through their on-going information campaign, Cosmo has been presenting misleading statistics about the amount of recycling Saskatoon currently undertakes. Moreover, they continue to make the false argument that a move towards a city-wide curbside recycling system (Option 4 in the current recycling survey) would see their organization’s clients without jobs because recyclable materials would no longer be source separated.
What Cosmo fails to mention is that most curbside collection programs involve separation of recyclables by households prior to collection. Additionally, at no point has any city official or any curbside proponent suggested that a city-wide curbside recycling program would exclude Cosmo, SARCAN, or Saskatoon Curbside Recycling. Infact, our city administration has attempted over the last two More >
Recycling Consultation: Full Cost Analysis Indicates $3 per household/month
Jun 29th
In an effort to continue beating the dead horse that is the 2007 Saskatoon Waste and Recycling Plan (SWRP), let’s take a look at the estimated costs associated with establishing a city-wide curbside recycling program. Using the triple-bottom line cost estimates developed by the outside consultants in the SWRP and building in some conservatively estimated cost savings and revenue generation, we can get a better sense of the true cost of such a program.
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A quick primer: In 2006 the City commissioned a comprehensive report on how the City generates, handles, and disposes of its waste. Additionally, that report was given the mandate to propose a new long-term plan on how Saskatoon would eventually become a “zero-waste” city. That plan, unanimously adopted by each and every member on today’s City Council in November 2007, involved a series of working groups, stakeholder engagement, and (wait for it) public consultation/information open houses.
The crux of the plan was a three phase process. Phase I was to start educating residents on how they can reduce their waste and move every home to an individual garbage bin. Phase II (which was scheduled to be implemented this year) was to institute a city-wide curbside recycling program with More >
Council Support for Curbside Recycling – Councillor Hill
Jun 25th
A great interview by Councillor Darren Hill on NewsTalk 650 radio this morning. Glad to hear such strong support for a city-wide curbside recycling system in Saskatoon coming from one of our City Councillors.
Councillor Hill’s support shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to residents of his Ward (ward 1), as he campaigned openly in 2006 and 2009 for a city-wide curbside recycling program.
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We Get Press Clippings: Recycling Consultation Flyer
Jun 25th
As reported here yesterday the City of Saskatoon will be delivering an informational flyer to City residents this weekend. In the meantime they have launched their “Let’s Talk Recycling and Composting!” website, which provides the leaflet and some additional information on the current recycling program in Saskatoon and on the four options being put before the public for their input. Included on the website is an online opinion survey that through a series of 10 pages asks respondents their views on recycling and on the four options.
The Star Phoenix picked up on the story yesterday afternoon and I had a short interview with their reporter on my initial thoughts of the informational flyer and the impact it will have on the recycling consultation set to get underway this weekend. Here is what I had to say in today’s article:
[...]
“The truth is borne out in this leaflet that the cost of recycling is not as high as was being discussed by city council,” said Sean Shaw, a geology researcher at the University of Saskatchewan who ran against Coun. Myles Heidt in Ward 4 last year. At the time Heidt opposed the adoption of curbside recycling, saying it would cost $20 to $30 More >
News And Notes: August Edition
Aug 24th
Posted by Sean Shaw in City Council
1 comment
It appears that my new job has nearly zapped my ability to keep this blog upto-date over the past weeks. In my defense it has been a relatively slow summer. So, I figured now would be a good time to dump a few municipal tidbits on whatever readers I have left:
1. Possible Municipal By-Election:
Ward 5 Councillor, and Sask Party Candidate for Saskatoon-Northwest, could possibly find himself contesting a Provincial By-election this fall. Word has it that the Sask Party would very much like to see current Saskatoon-Northwest MLA Serge LeClerc vacant his seat as early as this Fall. Such a series of events may be a long shot, as the recently turned Independent MLA has been granted a medical leave of absence from his elected duties, boarded up his offices, and is residing in Ontario, seemingly content to draw on his MLA salary until the General Election in November 2011. However, should Mr. LeClerc be “convinced” to retire, Councillor Wyant stands a good chance of retaining the seat for the Sask Party in a by-election. Wyant has already indicated that he would resign his Council seat if elected to the Legislature. If this were to happen before October 2011, the More >