New – Waste Facility Tracking System

Tracking System Implemented for Libau Landfill and Transfer Stations

Smartphone scanning a QR code

As part of our efforts to improve how we manage solid waste, we have started tracking the use of the RM’s waste facilities: Libau Landfill, Grand Marais Transfer Station, Gull Lake Transfer Station, Clarke Road Transfer Station, and Dunning Road Transfer Station. View a map of landfill and transfer station locations here.

In the 2017 property tax bill all property owners should have received two ID cards with a QR tracking code on them linked to their roll number. If you did not receive ID cards or have lost them, please call the municipal office at 204-482-3300. As of September 30, 2017, when you go to one of the RM’s waste facilities, attendants will scan your ID card and take note of what you are dropping off.

The ID cards are distributed free of charge. The ID cards do not affect the current rates – you will still pay the same fees to use the waste facilities. View the current tipping fees here.

Gathering solid data on the use of transfer stations and the landfill will ultimately show us where efficiencies can happen that will better serve residents and potentially save money. Reviewing and improving solid waste management is part of our 2015-18 Strategic Plan.

Why are we starting this system?

Tracking how residents use these waste facilities will help us become more efficient. We will better understand:

sample-tracking-ID-card
Sample RM of St. Clements tracking ID cards
  • Who uses the facilities
  • When they use it
  • What they bring

This information will help us make these facilities better suited to the needs and habits of residents.

This will also ensure that non-residents are paying the higher fees that are applicable for them.

If curbside pickup is implemented in 2018, we will be able to measure very accurately how it impacts use of waste facilities and adjust our waste services accordingly.

How will it work?

  • Every property received two ID cards with a tracking code with their property tax bill
  • The tracking code will be connected to your roll number
  • After September 30, 2017, when you go to Libau Landfill or a transfer station bring your ID card
  • Attendants will scan your card and record what you are bringing

When do I have to start using my ID card?

You will be required to start showing your ID card starting on Saturday, September 30, 2017.

I didn’t receive my ID cards. Why and what do I do?

Each property has a unique identifying number called a roll number. Some properties have more than one owner. The same bill is mailed out to all owners listed on the property title. For simplicity, we decided to mail out only two cards per property (roll number). This works well for most people but the RM of St. Clements is in the unique situation of having many cottages which are often handed down through a family and have multiple owners.  In the case of multiple owners, we took our best guess as to who to mail the ID cards to.

If you didn’t receive a card, please contact the RM office at 204-482-3300 or info@rmofstclements.com.

How much does it cost to implement this tracking system?

The cost to implement this program is $8,500 plus taxes.

Will this tracking system affect the fees I pay at the landfill/transfer station?

No, all the rates to use the landfill and transfer stations will stay the same.

You might not be aware that the landfill and transfer station have different resident rates for some items and that the transfer station does not accept some items that the landfill does accept. For example, a resident can take up to ten bags of garbage to the landfill for free but would have to pay $1.25 per bag at the transfer stations. This is because we must transfer the bags to Libau Landfill. Click here to see the tipping fees and what each facility accepts.

Can I take a photo of my ID card and use that at the landfill/transfer station?

Yes, our scanners can read the tracking code from a photo on your phone.

What if I am at the waste facility and I forgot my card?

After the tracking program is launched, there will be a grace period where, if you forget your card, the staff will still allow you to drop off your refuse.

What if I lose my card?

Phone, email or drop by the RM office and we will make you a new one which you can pick up or we can mail.

 

Comments

32 comments on “New – Waste Facility Tracking System

  1. I’m curious as to what if anything is going to be done about people who find out what they have to pay at the dump and end up dumping stuff in the ditch instead? I see stuff in the ditch all around Libau area all the time if you’re going to be spending money why not address that problem

    1. Hi Paul, Thanks for your message. Dumping garbage in the ditch is not allowed in the RM of St. Clements as outlined in By-Law #4-2008 regarding “the control and removal of certain obstructions on municipal roads, parks and reserves”. You can find this By-Law on our website on the Documents page, where you scroll down and double click on the “ByLaws” icon. Those who violate the By-Law will potentially be charged for the cost of cleaning the garbage up.

  2. Keeping count and careful watch of our garbage is very important, fixing ditches cutting grass or halting zebra mussels not so important.

    1. Hi Stan, thanks for your comment. Gathering solid data on the use of transfer stations and the landfill will ultimately show us where efficiencies can happen that will better serve residents and potentially save money. Reviewing and improving solid waste management is part of our 2015-18 Strategic Plan. Drainage and cutting grass are also important services that we perform. Managing zebra mussels, also very important, is managed by the province though we support when we can, for example at Gull Lake, where the local community is working together to keep zebra mussels out of the lake.

    1. Hi Sheri.The property tax bills have not been mailed out yet. They will be mailed in the last week of August. We don’t have the ID cards yet. They will not be available before the property tax bills are mailed out.

  3. We are year round residents in Grand Marais and Pay high property taxes and get nothing on return why don’t we have garbage pickup

    1. Hi Wendy. Thanks for your question. In the survey we did last fall where we asked residents about proposed garbage and recycling pickup, the beaches area (including Grand Marais) had the lowest interest in having curbside pickup with at least 45% of respondents saying they were “very uninterested” and “somewhat uninterested”. You can view these survey results here. If, at some point, enough residents in that area expressed an interest in curbside pickup, Council would likely consider implementing it.

  4. Thanks for telling us how much this all costs, reasonable.
    I will need 3 cards as 3 people are responsible for taking the garbage out.
    Some of the garbage is transported to Winnipeg.
    My neighbor wants his grass cut Arnhold and Stead road
    Ellis and John Street…I think the lawnmower ran out of gas
    at my gate. cheers

    1. Hi Stan. You’re welcome.

      We will only be sending two cards with each property tax bill for logistical reasons, but after you receive your tax bill you can contact the RM office at 204-482-3300 to ask how to get another ID card.

      If you ever have concerns/service requests, the best thing to do is call the RM office at 204-482-3300 where staff will enter all the details in our Service Tracker software, which is tracked and monitored by the appropriate person and you will be updated on the matter.

  5. Another study Great! Governments study things to death and waste money, and nothing ever get done.
    Great drainage in the south, that’s why the ditches are full of water. Empty lots are full of weeds, because the weed control says dandelions are not a noxious weed, and only cut after the weeds have seeded and blow around the neighborhood. The Libau dump is around 50 KM from the south, not exactly a short drive for free dumping. They have been looking at a rec centre in the South for 30 years, still nothing. How about that sewer system? Never going to happen! This municipality is a joke!

    1. Hi Greg. Thanks for sharing your concerns with us. We understand your frustration. There are many challenges to living in a rural municipality that is so large and spread out, as well as to managing it.

      The RM is very concerned about flooding in the south and hired consultants in 2016 to advise us on the best way to correct it. To do the work recommended to ease overland flooding, we have asked the province to partner with us, have applied for grants and are considering borrowing money to do some of the work.

      The weeds in the area are managed by the Selkirk Weed Control District, which is a regional office. You can phone or email them with your concerns at 204-785-3638 or slkweed@gmail.com.

      The South St. Clements Activity Centre has been talked about for awhile, but is now in the design process with the design to be completed this fall. We will consult with residents on this design to get feedback.

      The sewer system in South St. Clements had to be installed due to a public health order issued by the province. The priority area of 66 homes in the Old River Road area is operational and hooked into the existing Lockport Waste Water Treatment Plant (LWWTP). LWWTP doesn’t have the capacity to serve many more homes so we have been looking at several other options to treat the sewage (view them here).

      1. I totally agree, another study, we have to call repeatedly, just to get the holes in the road fixed….before they become craters! I called to have the main ditches cleared in the fall of weeds/bullrushes and they did not respond or cut them….another reason the water does not drain….Nice to see they are finally addressing McKay road, after paving and repaving Dunning for the last 3 years….

        1. Hi Blaine. I have shared your concerns with Greg Elson, Manager of Public Works. The best way to submit concerns to us is to call the RM office at 204-482-3300 so you can give the exact details like the location. Staff will enter the information into our Service Tracker software where it is assigned to the appropriate person. Service Tracker keeps a formal record of all actions taken until completion and keeps you informed. Greg reviews all of the service requests to be sure they are taken care of.

  6. How much of the recycling I drop off at the dump actually gets recycled (i.e. reprocessed into new material such as paper and glass), and how much just gets separated out and buried in the landfill? Also, are you considering a composting program?

    1. Hi Geoff. About 95% of the recyclables collected at the landfill and transfer stations get recycled. It is taken by recycling contractors to be recycled elsewhere. At the moment, because the market for recycled glass is so poor, we crush it and use it in road building (it is a superior product for this). The only materials not being recycled are those that are spoiled by something like food waste.

      We are currently reviewing our entire solid waste system and are looking at composting, as organic waste in the landfill is a big generator of methane gas (which is a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent that carbon dioxide), fills up the landfill and can otherwise be turned into a rich soil builder. In the survey we did last fall on curbside pickup, public interest in compost pickup was quite low, largely because many residents already compost in their yards. We definitely want to educate residents about the ease and benefits of composting!

  7. Happy to have the Gull Lake transfer station and to pay my $1.25, only wish the people leaving Sunday night or Monday morning would have the courtesy of not leaving their garbage at the gate (I am sure the attendants job description does not include picking up your garbage).

    Dust control on Arnhold is always an issue, it would be nice to have Council come up with a better solution, I would be happy to a fee on my property taxes for a more permanent solution.

    1. Hi George. Thanks for bringing this issue to our attention. We made a note on our website asking people not to leave garbage outside the gates as it is against our bylaw, can attract wildlife and leaves a mess for attendants. Regarding dust control on Arnhold, if enough residents express a concern about this it will be on Council’s radar and they could look at some alternate solutions.

  8. It would have been nice to receive two cards loaded up with 26 passes for garbage along with the tracking cards.I have received one card once in the 32 years I have owned property at Gull Lake.Lac du Bonnet area (Lee River,Pinawa etc) residents get two cards with twenty six passes.I know it’s only $1.25 a bag but always need to have cash or change on board.So we now have to produce a card and make sure it’s in the vehicle doing the dump run so it wouldn’t be such a hassle if we had a free pass card as well as they would be kept together.We don’t get much for services for our tax dollar this would be a nice little perk.

    1. Hi David. Thanks for sharing this idea with us. Council is reviewing the entire solid waste system so anything is possible. I will pass on your suggestion to Public Works Manager Greg Elson.

  9. Why is the RM forcing us to take curbside pickup based on a minority number of respondents to a survey? Everyone knows that surveys generate a low response rate and they can be misleading. For example, asking questions like “would you support curbside pickup” mean nothing if you do not tell people the true cost they will pay. I will be interested to see how you will pickup my garbage for $60-100 per year. Everyone assumes weekly pickup but that is clearly impossible at these rates. Why wouldn’t you use the survey to create an actual vote that could have been narrowed down to two or three choices based on the survey results and one choice could be status quo. Why don’t you tell people that curbside pickup currently exists through private enterprise so if it is that important they can pay for it. You need to stop misleading people and start respecting our hard earned money. My taxes have gone up 25% in the last two or three years and you also claim this is the fastest growing RM in the province so your revenues should be increasing well ahead of your expenses. Good luck at the next election.

    1. Hi Ed. Thanks for your comment. Curbside pickup is just one part of the RM’s review of the whole solid waste system looking for efficiencies and ensuring it is run sustainably while minimizing impact on the environment, as mandated in our Strategic Plan. The curbside pickup initiative is a process of which the survey was an early step to get an idea of whether the public wanted it or not. We received 470 responses and the majority of residents were interested in curbside pickup, so we are pursuing it. Learn more about the proposed curbside pickup initiative here.

      We do not have any details yet as we need to send out a tender requesting costs and service options from service providers. Once we have this, we will again consult with the public to get feedback on the options. We will then have a much better idea of the cost, type of service and frequency of pickup.

  10. When you say, Curbside pick up will be implemented in 2018, that sounds like a DONE thing. I was under the impression that to implement such a POLICY you would have to have hearings etc. Statements like this sound like you are going to circumvent proper procedures. Many residents on our road do NOT want road side pick up and have expressed our opinion.

    1. Hi Jim. Thanks for sharing your concern. As outlined in our newsletter and on our website, the curbside pickup initiative is very much a process. To create a Special Area levy (to be sure only residents who receive the service are charged), the municipality must hold a public hearing, the special levy bylaw must pass three readings and the Municipal Board must approve. There are many unknowns right now including the pickup area, frequency, cost and type of service. Once we receive proposals from contractors in November resulting from the tender sent out in October we can zero in on the options and will be asking for public feedback. If there are enough people in specific neighbourhoods that do not want curbside pickup, it is possible that Council will consider excluding them from the service area.

  11. Tracking cards sent out as a piece of paper basically….. Pretty lousy way to go about having tracking cards last – would it have really not made sense to have a laminated card that won’t wear out get all messed up easily? Seems if you’re gonna implement a new system why skimp on one of the key components of making it a successful project …..

    1. Thanks for your comment, Jeremy.You are right, the cards are not the most durable. This project was unrolled quickly and the cards were overlooked somewhat. We are planning to improve on this next year. In the mean time, if you have a smart phone you can take a photo of the card and use that at the landfill and transfer stations if you prefer. That will save wear and tear on the cards.

  12. The QR codes for tracking are on flimsy card stock and our family will need to share them. Would your readers be able to read it if we scan it on our phones? That would be a lot more convenient.

    1. Hi Wendy. Yes, our scanner should be able to read the card from your phone unless it has an extra-thick safety glass screen protector on it.

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