COQUITLAM, B.C., Sept. 14, 2022 – The City of Coquitlam has been recognized by local governments across the province for efforts to reduce wildlife attractants through public education on the importance of solid waste compliance.
From 2017 to 2021, the City conducted annual curbside audits each spring to encourage residents to abide by cart set out times required through the City’s Solid Waste Management Bylaw. Additionally, the City established morning and evening collection zones in 2018 to further limit the time solid waste was at the curb – and accessible to wildlife.
Over the last five years, these efforts have resulted in a 99.4 per cent cart set out compliance rate. These initiatives were recognized Tuesday evening with a Community Excellence Award in the Excellence in Service Delivery category at the 2022 Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) convention in Whistler.
The annual awards recognize innovative programs and practices, and encourage other local governments to learn from them.
One of four award categories, Excellence in Service Delivery, recognizes projects and programs that provide effective services in a proactive manner, demonstrate benefit to the community, and use performance measures and standards to ensure sustainable service delivery.
A Pro-Active Approach to Deterring Wildlife
Coquitlam is one of only 10 municipalities in B.C. and the only community within Metro Vancouver to achieve provincial Bear Smart status due to the extensive work to develop and maintain a bear-resistant municipal solid waste-management system.
By implementing the audit system, collection-zone amendments, and through the creation of planning documents, such as the Environmental Sustainability Plan, the City has minimized human-wildlife conflict and is able to identify neighbourhoods that require further education and outreach.
About the UBCM Community Excellence Awards Program
The UBCM Community Excellence Awards Program recognizes and celebrates UBCM member municipalities that have implemented projects and programs that demonstrate excellence in meeting the purposes of local government in B.C. The awards are designed to profile promising practices and to create successful pathways and incentives for others to follow. Learn more at www.ubcm.ca.
Media contact:
Caresse Selk
Manager, Environment
604-927-3536
cselk@coquitlam.ca