Small Business User Fee Education Program

The Works Committee reports having requested the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services to:

(1)submit a report directly to Council for its meeting on September 28, 29 and 30, 1999, on the issues raised during the meeting of the Committee with respect to garbage collection for small businesses, with input from interested Members of the Committee respecting their concerns; and

(2)establish a focus group of waste producers, including greengrocers and restaurants, and in particular, Ms. Lisa Marsden of the Ontario Restaurant Association, to be involved in the development of a communications program.

The Works Committee submits the following report (August 26, 1999) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services:

Purpose:

To present the plan to educate businesses on the available options for reducing their number of garbage collections.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications arising from this report.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Council Reference/Background/History:

The City of Toronto will be charging user fees to small businesses for garbage collection beginning in the fall of 1999. This phased-in user fee will apply to small businesses receiving municipal collection three, five or six times per week.

At its meeting of July 14, 1999, the Works and Utilities Committee had before it a report on the implementation of user fees for the businesses receiving more than twice per week garbage collection. The Committee directed the Works and Emergency Services Department to provide a report on a program to educate businesses on the options available for reducing the number of their garbage collections to a lower level.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

A communications plan has been developed to educate small business owners of the impending user fee for garbage collection. The plan includes the following components:

Objectives:

-To inform small business owners of the upcoming user fees and alternative options (reducing collection to twice a week); and

-to promote environmentally friendly practices to small business owners (composting, recycling).

Key Messages:

-The user fees are part of the service harmonization process for the city.

-Business owners may be able to reduce the amount of garbage being collected by increasing recycling activity (if this service is provided), arranging for separate food waste collection by private haulers, discussing with suppliers options for reducing packaging waste and switching to reusable packaging containers.

-This is an opportunity for business owners to apply to the City of Toronto for a reduction in their garbage collection levels. If the waste can be stored on-site in a manner satisfactory to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the Medical Officer of Health, the number of collections per week can be reduced.

Tactics:

-A letter to affected businesses (attached);

-providing businesses with a question and answer sheet discussing the implications of the upcoming user fees;

-contacting the local Business Improvement Areas (BIAs);

-promoting a number for people to call for help from city staff regarding reducing the amount of garbage created (i.e., returning cardboard boxes back to suppliers for reuse; composting, if possible; more focus on recycling); and

-promoting the Access Toronto Language Line (338-0338) for small business owners who do not speak English as their first language.

As well, the upcoming BottleWorks program, which is a pilot project for reusing wine bottles, will be promoted to the business owners as a future option. The goal of BottleWorks is to implement the pilot project by November 1999, and to assess the pilot after one year of operation to determine the feasibility of expanding the program.

Conclusion:

By promoting the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) to small business owners, and providing them with information and viable options (more recycling, returning boxes to suppliers), the number of collections that small business owners receive should decrease.

Contact:

Andrew Pollock, Director, Policy and Planning

Solid Waste Management Services

Works and Emergency Services

Metro Hall, 19^th Floor

Phone: 392-4715; Fax: 392-4754

E-mail: andy_pollock@metrodesk.metrotor.on.ca

(A copy of the communication referred to in the foregoing report has been forwarded to all Members of Council, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.)