Automated Curbside Collection Carts Coming To Comox Valley

The City of Courtenay and the Town of Comox are collaborating on a new automated residential collection service launching next year for residents receiving curbside collection service.

“We are excited about what this means for the City. By bringing our waste collection service in line with other cities in the province, we will increase efficiency, improve reliability, and reduce the risk of workplace injuries,” says City of Courtenay Mayor, Bob Wells.

“The shift, to automated collection, will have a positive impact on our community and we expect to see a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions generated by the collection vehicles as well as increased diversion of materials from our landfill. This is a critical step towards increasing our diversion targets to 90% of residential, industrial, commercial, and institutional waste, including 100% of organic waste, by 2050, as set in our Official Community Plan.”

The new collection service will use specially designed, easy-to-roll carts with lids. The new collection trucks will have arms operated by the driver inside the truck's cab, to grab, lift and empty the materials in the carts, and then return the carts to the curb.

“We understand it will take time to adjust to a new curbside collection service,” said Comox Mayor, Nicole Minions.

“This is why we are taking the next several months before the new carts are delivered to increase awareness about the new program and provide regular communication to assist in the transition. The new service offers us one more way to support environmental stewardship: by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

The City and Town will distribute three new wheeled carts to each eligible household before the automated service starts – one cart for each material, for bi-weekly recycling and garbage, and weekly organics (food and yard waste).

Comox and Courtenay say they are working together with a shared goal of making the transition to automated curbside collection as easy as possible. The program should be ready to launch in January.