At the same time Mayor Dan Onichuk made a plea for the public to clean up after their dogs two weeks ago, the issue was raised as to whether the town was supposed to collect pet waste as part of the weekly garbage pick-up.
Council found out Monday night in a report from Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brow that, technically, the town has been breaking its own bylaw.
“Based on our review of Regulation 347 [General Waste Management], there is no restriction with regards to disposing dog dung at the town’s landfill site,” Brown said in his report.
“However, the town’s present Bylaw No. 21-76 plus schedules, indicate that manure or night soil [which dog dung is considered to be classified under] is non-collectable waste.
“In other words, the town created the bylaw which does not allow dog dung [manure] to be collected at curbside,” said Brown.
“This, in return, requires the owner of the waste to transport it directly to the landfill site or flush it down the toilet to be treated at the sewage treatment plant,” he noted.
“Also, while walking your dog, there are several garbage containers throughout the town which are available to receive dog dung,” Brown added.
“The general public is asked to place the dog dung in a small plastic bag prior to placing it in the garbage container, [which] are emptied on a regular basis by the Operations and Facilities division staff.”
“We have a bylaw that says we will not pick up dog doo at the curbside, but if you go out to the waterfront and throw it in a can there, the town will pick it up?” remarked Coun. Struchan Gilson.
“Doesn’t that strike you as a bit strange?” he asked his fellow councillors.
Brown noted the bylaw dated back to a time when there were many more animals, including livestock, kept by residents, and the town wanted people to reuse the waste produced for fertilizer.
Coun. Gilson said the previous council had run into a wording problem with outdated bylaws and felt council should change all of those that no longer apply.
Mayor Onichuk noted residents still can put out dog dung for their normal garbage pickup if they put it in a plastic bag first.
“There’s no hesitation a bag of dog dung will get picked up now [as part of the normal curbside pickup],” he said. “But if someone’s putting out four buckets of it. . . .”
“I think it’s time to come up with a new bylaw. Right now, we’re effectively picking it up illegally,” countered Coun. Gilson.
Brown noted the new waste management bylaw slated to take effect May 31, which also includes “bag tags,” could be amended to define the proper disposal of dog manure.
In other business at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•approved a recommendation from the Administration and Finance executive committee to authorize a letter of reply be sent to Northwestern Slots for Charity, advising the town had received its letter and that no further action be taken at this time;
•nominated two officers from the Fort Frances OPP for the Ontario Crime Control Commission’s 2004 Awards of Excellence for Fighting Crime;
•approved a report from the Community Services executive committee to support the development of a “museum foundation” and look into a Human Resources Development Canada placement to support its development, as well as look to the Economic Development Advisory Committee for further input regarding the museum heritage tourism plan submitted to council last month;
•approved the March, 2004 drinking water systems monthly summary report; and
•referred a request from the Township of North Shore—to see representatives of the Town Youth Participation Strategy included in consultations with the Ministry of Children and Youth—to the Community Services executive committee for a recommendation.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
