K.C. Jordan, LJI Reporter

The MRC Pontiac held a special council sitting on Wednesday to formalize, by way of a resolution, its jurisdiction of all household recycling across the county.

Until now, recycling has been managed individually by all 18 municipalities. Going forward, the MRC will hire one waste management service to take care of recycling in all municipalities.

The MRC originally declared its intention to acquire the competency to manage municipal recycling in February of this year.

Municipalities then had 90 days to object to the declaration, but MRC environmental coordinator Kari Richardson said the MRC got no feedback.

“They have 90 days to send a letter saying what kind of services are getting impacted [ . . . ] but we didn’t receive any letters,” she said.

The MRC called a special sitting on Wednesday because it is legally obligated to pass the new bylaw within 180 days of its original declaration of intention, and waiting until the regular Council of Mayors meeting scheduled for Aug. 21 would have been too late.

At Wednesday’s special sitting, the MRC Pontiac’s 18 mayors voted unanimously to adopt the resolution.
MRC director general Kim Lesage said the MRC plans to open the call for tenders this fall for a contract that will begin Jan. 1, 2025.