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Q&A: Denis Gélinas, director, urban infrastructure and environment services, City of Sherbrooke, Québec
In 2004, in response to the Québec Waste Management Policy, the City of Sherbrooke developed a Waste Management Plan. The plan included measures that diverted over 54 per cent of its waste in 2008. To achieve this diversion rate, the city collected recyclables and compostable materials with wheeled bins, recovered bulky items such as construction and demolition waste in two eco-centres, and collected wood waste. GMF met with Denis Gélinas, director of the City of Sherbrooke’s urban infrastructure and environment service, to find out more about the plan. |
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Could you briefly describe your Waste Management Plan?
Initially, Sherbrooke's 2004–2008 Waste Management Plan* included approximately 100 measures aimed at reducing, reusing, recycling and recovering waste. Along the way, some measures were improved and new ones were added, often in response to citizen demand. Fewer than 20 of the original measures were either abandoned or have not yet been realized for various reasons. For example, some measures were deemed to be no longer appropriate as the plan was implemented.
*Document available in French only
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What were the plan's key development phases?
The plan included three key phases: implementation of a mixed recyclables collection in wheeled bins in 2005 and 2006; the construction of a second eco-centre in 2006; and in 2007, the addition of a new compostable materials collection, coupled with a reduction in waste collection. These measures were supported by major information and awareness campaigns that helped us to achieve excellent rates of participation that continue to rise. For example, our two ecocentres received over 64,000 visits in 2008. We expect this number to grow to over 75,000 in 2009.
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How did you obtain support from council?
Several public consultations revealed that Sherbrooke’s citizens were ready to move ahead with innovative sustainability and environmental solutions. In light of this, the municipal council proved to be proactive and responsive to the community by supporting the plan.
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How did you raise community awareness about the plan?
Public consultations allowed citizens to learn what the plan was all about. The plan was also supported by an effective information and awareness campaign consisting of brochures, advertisements, a website, school visits, and videos.
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What obstacles did you face and how did you overcome them?
The implementation of such a large project requires buy-in and support from all partners. For example, mixed recyclables collection involved making changes to the sorting centre, which is owned by a régie intermunicipale and serves most of the region's municipalities. We also had to deal with the community’s concerns about compost collection, such as odours and problems related to space and vermin. To allay these fears, the city provided plenty of information and launched an awareness campaign.
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How much did the project cost?
Over $7 million was invested in infrastructure, such as construction of the second eco-centre and the purchase of bins, and close to $5 million was allocated for annual operating costs.
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What lessons were learned from implementing your waste plan?
One of the most important lessons we learned is that the more types of buildings there are to service and the more types of waste there are to manage, the more complex collections are to carry out.
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What advice would you give to other municipalities considering a similar type of initiative?
It is important to thoroughly analyze the municipality’s needs, its challenges and its partners in order to choose the best collection methods.
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What can mayors and municipal councillors do to help reduce waste in their communities?
A strong information and awareness campaign is fundamental to success. On a more personal level, municipal officials can set a good example by participating in collection programs and by supporting reduction measures with their constituents.
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What are the main challenges facing the city today?
Protecting our achievements remains our greatest challenge. We are faced with the fact that, in order to further reduce waste production, more complex and more costly solutions that may have less impact will have to be implemented.
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What sets Sherbrooke apart from the other communities in the region?
Sherbrooke comprises approximately 50 per cent of the region’s population and brings a strong urban dimension to the area. The challenges Sherbrooke faces are, therefore, quite different from those of the neighbouring rural municipalities. These challenges are not necessarily more difficult, just different.
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Sherbrooke is committed to becoming a sustainable community. What were the key factors in this decision and what motivates you to continue your efforts?
The success of our efforts with waste collection has been a key factor. We want to build on this success by expanding the plan to other areas and to truly integrate sustainable development in our decision-making. The support of the community and of the different levels of government has been, and will continue to be our principal source of motivation. |
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