CBRM makes progress on Fiona trees, clearing way for heavy garbage pickup

Residents of Cape Breton Regional Municipality will soon learn the dates for heavy garbage pickup.

Council had been considering postponing the annual curbside collection of items that are too big for regular garbage pickup until September, because the dump had filled upwithwood debris caused by post-tropical storm Fiona.

Mayor Amanda McDougall said CBRM staff have been chipping away at the waste wood and there is now room for heavy garbage.

"The collection of tree debris post-Fiona is still ongoing and the literal mountain of wood that was there has come down astoundingly fast, considering how much material was there," she told council on Tuesday.

McDougall said CBRM has issued tenders for heavy garbage pickup, and contractors are expected to begin collecting by the end of June.

But Coun. Gordon MacDonaldwarned residents it's not yet time to put materials out.

"If I can just say it kindly, please stop putting your garbage out to your curbs right now," he said. "Wait until the dates are announced and there'll be a lot less calls, a lot less pressure on your councillors and a lot less pressure on the residents of CBRM and not having garbage laying around for weeks and weeks."

The service costs roughly $250,000 a year and is often one of the first services on the chopping block at budget time. But every year, council finds a way to fund heavy garbage pickup after an outcry by residents.

CBRM director of public works Wayne MacDonaldsaid the municipality will advertise and put out messages on social media when the actual dates of the service are confirmed.

However, he said, the tenders require contractors to pick up all heavy garbage by the end of June, whichis a couple of weeks earlier than last year.