A new era of waste management dawns on July 1st, as this day marks the beginning of a new contract with Green For Life Environmental (GFL) to pick up Callander’s garbage and recycling. The important thing to note is that nothing will change for the homeowner. Pickup dates remain the same, and everything you threw out or recycled before, you’ll be able to throw out and recycle again.
The trucks might look different, as GFL is known for their bright green fleet, but that will be the only difference to your usual waste management routine.
Why change? Council’s current contract with Miller Waste Systems was drawing to a close at the end of June, and councillors felt it best to look for other options to save the municipality some money. They put out a call for proposals for the contract, and on April 12, reviewed their options and decided on GFL.
Three companies put forward a bid, and GFL was the lowest at $1,556,535 over a five-year term. After the five years, the municipality has an option to renew at that time. The first year is the cheapest, coming in at $277,695 and rising to $346,839 by year five. The other two bids were similarly structured, with each year seeing an increase of around 10 to 15 thousand dollars.
Overall, GFL came in lower than the rest. The second lowest bid was $1,659,579 and the highest of the three was $2,227,568.
GFL has its headquarters in Vaughan, Ontario, and according to its website, is the “fourth largest diversified environmental services company in North America.” The company employs more than 18,000 employees, has traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange since March 6, 2020, and strives to provide “unparalleled commitment to safety and customer service.”
The contact number for GFL’s local operations manager is 705-472-1768.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
