I want to express my support for CBRM’s decision to end the existing contracts with garbage-collection contractors. This is an essential and positive step for our community, and one that speaks to fairness, accountability and the long-term interests of all residents.
First, this move shows that the municipality is taking seriously its responsibility to ensure that waste management, the basic service of collecting garbage and keeping our streets clean, is done in a way that works for everyone. When contracts no longer deliver value, whether due to cost, performance, or changing circumstances, it is wise to reassess and act. CBRM’s decision signals that the community comes first.
Second, by clearing out outdated or underperforming arrangements, the municipality has the opportunity to secure better service, more efficient operations and cost savings. Those are the kinds of improvements that matter to working people, households and taxpayers. A contract that isn’t pulling its weight hurts us all. It can mean higher taxes, degraded service, and frustration. That’s why it’s heartening to see a willingness to make a change rather than stick with the status quo.
Third, this decision also sends a message to contractors and service providers: you must deliver real results, you must be accountable to the community, you must show up day in and day out. That kind of accountability is good for workers, the public, and the planet. If new contracts are let, they will hopefully include stronger standards for safety, timely pickups, proper waste diversion and respectful treatment of workers. For folks who labour every day to keep our community running, that respect matters.
Finally, this change offers an opportunity for CBRM to engage with residents, workers, local businesses and community groups around what we want from our waste-management system in the future. What sort of contract will best support fair wages and good working conditions? What will ensure the contractors hired are local and responsive? What will ensure we are doing our part for the environment? These questions matter, and this decision opens the door to answers.
In short, CBRM’s move is a positive one. It puts the community’s interests first, it holds service providers accountable, and it paves the way for a stronger, fairer waste-management system. I look forward to seeing how the municipality follows through, how new contracts are structured and how workers, residents and the environment all benefit.
Through a Union Lens from Nova Scotia 