As the province moves forward with the gradual reduction of restrictions as part of stage one of the framework for reopening Ontario, Northumberland County is making adjustments to waste services to align with this provincial direction.
As of Tuesday, May 19, all Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) have returned to their regular days of operation to further support residents with their urgent waste disposal needs. Restrictions remain in place to protect customer and staff health and safety, including cashless payment measures, limiting the number of vehicles allowed on-site at one time, the ongoing closure of the household hazardous waste and clothing diversion programs, and modified hours of operation at each site from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Days of operation include:
· Brighton CRC – Monday-Saturday
· Bewdley CRC – Monday-Saturday
· Seymour CRC – Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
In addition, at today’s meeting of County Council, Council confirmed that the two-month partial waiver on garbage bag tags will conclude as planned on May 29. The temporary partial waiver, enabling residents to set out one bag of garbage per week without a bag tag, was established in March to provide some financial relief for residents in the early days of lockdown restrictions, and to promote physical distancing in support of community action to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Full bag tag requirements will once again be in effect as of June 1.
“Waiving bag tag fees was an important step to take in support of our residents at the onset of the pandemic, despite the significant financial implications of this decision,” states Warden Bob Sanderson. “With restrictions
beginning to gradually lift, and people periodically leaving their residence to purchase essential items at grocery stores and pharmacies where bag tags are also available, the timing is right to shift this aspect of our operations back to normal. As we move cautiously in the direction of a return to regular operations, this shift will minimize further negative impacts to the 2020 budget.”
Recognizing the importance of continuing to promote physical distancing even as restrictions ease, Northumberland County will be launching an online service whereby residents can purchase bag tags directly through the County website for home delivery. This online service, which will be available the week of May 25 at Northumberland.ca, will be launched on a trial basis as the County assesses resident interest and uptake. More information about the launch of this service will be available in the coming week.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
