BEAR SAFE BIN PILOT REVISED FUNDING OPTIONS

BEAR SAFE BIN PILOT REVISED FUNDING OPTIONS

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to obtain further direction from Council regarding the funding of the Bear Safe Bin Pilot Program, following correspondence heard at the June 4, 2024 regular Council meeting.

OPTIONS:

TIME CRITICAL:

Staff will continue rolling out this “one time” pilot program following Council direction.

ALIGNMENT WITH TOWN INITIATIVES:

The $5,000 Bear Safe Bin Pilot Project is a project requested by Council (Action Item C-45-24).

DISCUSSION:

Council will recall the following Council Resolution C-45-24:

That $5,000 be allocated in 2024 for a pilot project that will see: a) The purchase of bear proof residential garbage and food scrap bins to be made available on a first-come-first-served basis to residents in the Riverside neighbourhood; b) Amendments to the Town’s Collection and Disposal of Residential Garbage and Household Food Waste Bylaw No. 745, 2009 to reduce opportunities for wildlife interaction with household waste; c) A policy developed to outline the level of service for replacement bins, including bear safe residential bins; and d) Communications to educate residents in reducing the availability of foods and other attractants to wildlife.

Of which item (a) is the basis of this staff report.

Council direction was given to staff at the March 19, 2024 regular Council meeting to maximize the amount of bear safe bins to be purchased, which included implementing a cost sharing strategy with interested residents in the Riverside neighbourhood. Staff implemented this strategy to purchase 28 food waste bear safe bins: this number amounts to one bin for every two houses around the perimeter of Thetis Lake Park within the Riverside neighbourhood, thus potentially reducing wildlife exposure to easily available attractants by 50%. That said, the pilot also includes other households within the Riverside neighbourhood at a lower priority, while quantities last (see attached letter to residents for pilot details).

During the June 4, 2024 regular Council meeting question period, members of the public within the Riverside neighbourhood expressed concern regarding the cost share amount that would be required for interested participants. While staff received correspondence from some interested households, it was not enough to execute an effective number of bear safe bins within the neighbourhood.

The total cost to invest in the 28 bear safe bins was approximately $8,800 (excluding taxes). Without a cost share in place, the deficit in the pilot budget amounts to $3,800 ($8,800 less the pilot budget of $5,000 equals $3,800). There were no other bin purchase options as other manufacturers required bin purchase quotas that far exceed the pilot budget (e.g. minimum purchase of 100 bins).

The pilot is currently funded via Garbage Collection User Fees, specifically for the annual purchase of new bins (required year to year to replace old / damaged bins, and new addresses). There is a chance that fewer residential bins may require replacing this year: it is too early to tell in the year to forecast how many bins require replacing - however, there may be a chance that the original garbage bin replacement budget could accommodate the deficit amount. If this is the case, then there would be no change to the current garbage collection budget. However, if the demand for residential bins exceeds the allocated budget, the likelihood of a service deficit would increase, resulting in a need to increase garbage collection user fees beyond the current planned increases identified in the Financial Plan.

As a result, staff recommend that the Town:

• Cover 100% of the cost of the bear safe bins, to maximize the bear safe bin coverage within the Riverside neighbourhood, funded through Garbage User Fees per the original pilot project;
• Require residents to return the bins to the Town should a resident move away from the Riverside neighbourhood (residents originally would have owned these bins under the existing pilot project);
• Monitor bin replacement quantities throughout the year to confirm if any budgeting adjustments are required.

SUSTAINABILITY/CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS:

Utilizing bear safe bins is only a small part of the solution to mitigate attractants to wildlife. Per the March 19, 2024 staff report to Council: educational, policy and bylaw-based solutions provide the best chances to mitigate wildlife attractants. Staff are currently consulting with many industry bodies, including the CRD, District of Saanich, and especially the Coast Waste Management Association, to assess these options that will be provided to Council in the late summer / fall of 2024.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

There are no financial implications to staff’s recommendation if the actual number of garbage bins to be replaced this year is low enough to accommodate the additional $3,800 increase in the pilot budget.

Unlike other municipalities with recurring annual budgets to support bear safe bins, the Town’s pilot project is currently a one-time project for 2024. The provision for bear safe bins is not incorporated into the remaining five-year plan after the year 2024. The incorporation of bear safe bins into a regular program would require an increase to garbage collection user fees above the currently projected amounts identified in the Financial Plan.

LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT:

The Bear Safe Bin Pilot Project is administered within the following International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) spectrum:

• Consult: with Council: including the purpose of this staff report, feedback from Council was obtained on staff’s analysis of the issue and the development of options per the March 19, 2024 staff report. Direction at the time was subsequently given to staff to conduct a pilot project to maximize the availability of bear safe bins to the Riverside neighbourhood.
• Inform: with the Riverside neighbourhood: Information was provided to the Riverside neighbourhood regarding the pilot project to assist them in understanding the issue, and to provide an opportunity for interested residents to acquire a bear safe bin.

ALTERNATIVES:

Council may consider other options including but not limited to:

1. Suggesting a lower cost sharing amount to residents, balancing Town costs with residential interest (see attached letter to residents for original cost sharing amount);
2. Maintain the existing cost sharing amount and extend the pilot offer to the end of the year or to other nearby neighbourhoods, until supplies last.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Project Summary N-120 (2024-2028 Financial Plan) – Bear Safe Bin Pilot Project
2. Letter to residents