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An amendment to the City of North Bay's waste management by-law would increase the level of waste removal services at the municipality's most populated multi-residential buildings.

As the current by-law states, collection from any multi-residential building having more than 75 dwelling units receives three lifts per week of one six cubic yard container. The associated Environmental Services report observes a very large multi-residential building with hundreds of dwellings presently has the same waste collection service level as a building with 76 dwellings and recommends augmenting waste collection.

The bins located at large complexes are known targets for illegal dumping. And, overflowing waste bins can lead to health and safety concerns by attracting vermin, breeding bacteria, and hosting insect infestations. There is also the increased prevalence of air pollution and its resulting respiratory illnesses.

If the amendment is approved by North Bay City Council Tuesday, collection from any multi-residential building with:

According to the report, the four largest North Bay multi-residential properties would see their six cubic yard waste bins emptied one additional time weekly. "This amendment would ensure that very large multi-residential buildings have equitable waste collection service. Also, as the City of North Bay grows and larger multi-residential buildings are constructed it will be critical to ensure that reasonable waste collection services for these larger buildings is provided."

If the by-law amendment is approved, the following four multi-residential buildings will be eligible for increased waste pick-up:

This waste collection service level increase of one additional bin per week would "increase the existing waste collection contract by $88.72 per week in 2022. If this change was implemented on July 1, this would lead to an "additional $2,306 for the 2022 fiscal year and there are sufficient funds in the existing 2022 environmental services budget to cover these additional costs. Future costs associated with this service level change will be incorporated into future environmental services operating budgets."

Under the existing by-law, multi-residential buildings with nine units or less use curbside waste collection.

Multi-residential buildings with 10 units or greater have container collection services and the by-law provides a service level for multi-residential buildings based on the number of units in the building.

The current service level standards for multi-residential building with more than 10 units:

Earlier this year, the City took over operations of the Merrick Landfill and increased the bag tag fee to dispose of waste — beyond the lowered two-receptacle limit — to $2 per bag from $1. And, as of Jan. 1, the curbside limit dropped to two bags/receptacles. The industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) sectors also had their limits drop from 12 to 10 receptacles.