City council in Peterborough has endorsed a new initiative aimed at improving cleanliness in parks, streets, the downtown core and other public spaces through expanded waste management, education and enforcement measures.
The coordinated program includes several changes designed to reduce illegal dumping and simplify waste disposal for residents and businesses.
Among the approved measures is an increase to the residential garbage bag limit, rising from four bags to eight bags for collection areas until Dec. 31, 2027.
Council also approved a communication and public engagement campaign, a targeted surveillance camera pilot in selected parks and public areas, and improvements to the city’s reporting process for illegal dumping and improper waste set-outs.
Additional measures include targeted outreach to landlords, property managers, the Downtown Business Improvement Area and multi-residential properties to improve waste collection education.
The city will also remove fees for large article collection and reduce the cost of green bin carts from $88.49 per unit to $35.40 per unit.
Enforcement activities related to unattributed or orphaned garbage on boulevards will also resume within the area bounded by Park Street, McDonnel Street, Water Street and Sherbrooke Street.
Council is also requesting that Canadian Pacific Railway remove waste from its rail corridors and implement a response program to address cleanup concerns more quickly.
City officials say the review focused on reducing friction within the waste management system and making disposal easier in hopes of reducing inappropriate dumping and littering behaviours.
Officials noted that recycling collection remains a challenge because the blue box program is now provincially managed under Ontario’s extended producer responsibility system, limiting direct municipal control over service levels and consistency.
