Council put off a decision to stop sending staff to pick up commercial garbage.
With eight staff tasked with garbage collection, recycling, illegal dumping, needle pick-ups and more, the city's manager of parks and solid waste said it was taking up too much time
"Something has to give," said Sean LeBrun.
But some councillors were stuck on the decision to halt an activity that was bringing money into the city.
The staff report estimated the roughly 200 accounts make about $60,000 and if stopped, the city would lose some $45,000 after equipment fees.
But with staff travelling hundreds of kilometers twice a week to service the few clients, the collection was described as an inefficient use of time.
Even more so, staff said, because many had garbage out only 25 per cent of the time versus 75 to 80 per cent of the time with residential clients.
With the accounts all over the city, staff have to make special trips making it a very inefficient way to use resources, staff said.
"We had to look internally at the services we provide and how can they get better at one thing," LeBrun said.
It's a very small division of eight employees that handles recycling and other responsibilities but the increase in needle pick-ups "is taxing."
Staff said it would be a better use of its time to be addressing the rise in needle collection and illegal dumping.
Staff are expected to return to council with more information.
The report recommended the last service be scheduled for Sept. 2.
