Miller Keeps Promise To City Unions For Their Support

A private contractor charges $10/tonne less to pickup garbage than do city employees. How does this save the taxpayer money? The city tells us no additional workers will be needed as the existing force will pickup the extra garbage. If that is true you have to wonder how much time the existing employees are wasting? The outside workers will now hold the entire city for ransom when it comes to negotiating contracts.


City considering garbage collection to save cash

Toronto city council is considering a report that recommends adding more garbage collection routes but not more people to pick up the trash as a way to save millions of dollars a year.

The former City of York is one of two places in Toronto where trash is picked up by a private company under contract.

A Works Committee report recommended that city workers take over the collection of trash when the contract expires this summer. The report said it could save money for Toronto city hall.

York's former mayor is now a city councilor in Toronto. Frances Nunziata does not support the recommendation.

"It has worked, the residents are happy with it - they get good service," Nunziata said Friday.

She added that she does not know why city staff recommended bringing garbage collection "in-house."

"I don't believe the figures, so I'm going to be objecting to it."

Fifteen years have passed since city employees have picked up trash in York.

The staff report said Toronto will save $4 million a year by taking over garbage collection.

The report also said that there will be no need to hire new workers, despite the added workload. City officials believe the work can be handled by existing staff.

If the recommendation is accepted by city council, city employees will start collecting garbage in August.

With a report from CTV's Desmond Brown