The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board of directors will be voicing their concerns about the Multi-Material B.C. (MMBC) recycling program that came into effect last month.
Under B.C. legislation, MMBC is responsible for the recycling of printed paper products and packaging materials. However, within the regional district boundaries MMBC is currently only providing recycling services in Prince George.
"There is a lot of frustrations and the same discussions are happening again and again [at regional districts,]" district director and Prince George city councillor Cameron Stolz said. "Some of them are getting it [MMBC service], some of them aren't."
District chief administrator Jim Martin said the staff have been coordinating with other regional districts that receive the same level of service.
"This board wants to express its displeasure with the MMBC funding model. We're getting close to refining what that [communication] strategy looks like," Martin said.
Martin said the district is looking to meet with representatives of other districts in July, to present a unified message at the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) annual conference in September in Whistler. UBCM acts as an advocate and lobbying body for municipalities in the province.
"We're looking to culminate this at UBCM, and hopefully have some partners behind us..." Martin said.
The comments were made at a district board meeting on Tuesday, where directors approved funding to continue contracting Cascades Recovery to provide recycling drop bins for residents until May 31, 2015.
The City of Prince George contribution will finish at the end of the year, leaving the communities of Mackenzie, McBride, Valemount and rural areas to pay the cost of the service from January to May of 2015.
Delivering recycling services to the smaller communities and rural areas over the five-month period will cost $170,000, reducing the 2015 region-wide solid waste operating expenses by $1.2 million.
