Operating hours at the Valemount Regional Transfer Station are getting beefed up this fall.
At the Thursday, Aug. 21 meeting of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George’s board of directors, staff asked for approval to increase the hours because of the recycling programming put in place in 2024.
On Sept. 16, 2024, Recycle BC opened a principal recycling depot at the transfer station.
In early July 2025, Recycle BC opened a satellite recycling depot at the McBride Regional Transfer Station, which sends the material collected there to Valemount to eventually be transported to Prince George for processing.
“Maintaining the current summer operational hours all year is necessary to ensure that both transfer stations can meet the needs of their communities and maintain compliance with the contractual obligations of the Recycle BC program,” a report by district staff said.
The Valemount transfer station will now be open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and closed on Wednesdays year-round instead of reducing hours during from Nov. 1 to March 31.
District staff noted that there is enough funding in the 2025 solid waste management budget to accommodate the 13 extra hours of operations per week during that time frame and funding for a higher number of operating hours would be requested in the 2026 budget.
The board approved the extended operating hours unanimously.
Also at the meeting, the board approved one-year contract extensions for R&M Maintenance Services to handle caretaker services at the West Lake ad Buckhorn regional transfer stations for $43,200 and $50,400 respectively.
Environmental 360 Solutions Central Interior Ltd. was awarded a one-year contract extension for caretaker services at the Cumming Road Regional Transfer Station.
No price was directly referenced, but in 2022 the regional district awarded a contract of up to five years with two one-year options at the same price. The estimated annual cost in 2022 was pegged at $142,560.
At the closed Shelley Landfil, Geotech Drilling Service Ltd. was awarded a contract worth $70,761.94 excluding taxes to install a ground water monitoring well.
Up in Mackenzie, the regional district approved the purchase of a previously leased Caterpillar front-end loader at the Mackenzie Select Landfill and Transfer Station for $93,900 excluding taxes.
