Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine

All regional districts are required by the BC Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy to have a Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP). The RDKS approved its first SWMP in 1995. A Plan Monitoring and Advisory Committee (PMAC) was developed to advise on implementation of the 1995 Plan. Most of the objectives of the 1995 Solid Waste Management Plan have been met and a new SWMP is now needed to enhance the existing programs and determine the future of solid waste management within the RDKS.

The intent of the new SWMP is to improve operational efficiency to ensure that existing facilities and programs run as well as possible. We will also focus on maintaining and improving relationships with large waste generators and expanding service delivery to cover rural communities.

Development of the SWMP has been guided by our overarching goal of improving operational efficiencies of our facilities and waste diversion programs.

For information related to the SWMP planning process, please see background and supporting documents in ‘Related Documents’ (left pane).

A Public and Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC), comprised of members of the public, local government representatives, industry and technical experts, was formed in 2018 to advise on the development of the new SWMP. PTAC has advised the Regional District Board on the design and implementation of the SWMP consultation process, guiding principles, supporting studies, and development of plan targets and strategies.

To date, PTAC meetings have covered the following topics: 

• January 15, 2019 – The solid waste management planning process, the current RDKS solid waste management system and PTAC Committee business; 
• February 12, 2019 - The theme of efficiency for the SWMP, the Consultation Strategy and summary of SWMP consultation to date; 
• April 16, 2019 - Reduction and reuse options; 
• June 11, 2019 – Summary of March 2019 Solid Waste Survey results; 
• January 7, 2020 – Introduction of new SWMP Planning Consultants from Morrison Hershfield and summary of work to date;
• February 11, 2020 – Prioritizing reduction and reuse strategies; 
• March 10, 2020 – Recycling and organics diversion strategies; 
• May 28, 2020 – Strategies to improve efficiency of existing solid waste facilities; 
• June 4, 2020 – Strategies for new facilities and service areas, and review of cost recovery model; 
• June 25, 2020 – Evaluation of preferred options to inform the Draft Solid Waste Management Plan; 
• December 9, 2020 – Revised Consultation Strategy for public consultation on the Draft SWMP.
• September 28, 2021 – Summary of 2021 consultation on the Draft SWMP, revisions to Draft Plan based on consultation, and approval of the Final Solid Waste Management Plan.

See the PTAC folder in ‘Related Documents’ (left pane) for the PTAC Terms of Reference, meeting schedule, and presentations. See ‘Minutes and Agendas’ (top right) for PTAC meeting records. 

The SWMP planning process has followed the four-step process described in the BC Ministry of Environment Guide to Solid Waste Management Planning 2016. Step 1 included: 

• Review of the 1995 Solid Waste Management Plan, presented in the 1995 SWMP Plan Summary Report, January 2014;
• Development of a recommended planning process, presented in the SWMP Review Process - Overview Memo, April 19, 2017;
• Initial consultation with the Plan Monitoring Advisory Committee (PMAC) regarding the proposed planning process, presented in Developing a new SWMP in the RDKS, presentation to PMAC August 15, 2017;
• Setting the plan area and assembling background information (including current waste management practices), presented in Assessment of the Current Solid Waste System - 2018 Update, Rev. 1.1, January 4, 2019;
• Setting the Plan scope, budget and schedule, presented in the Step 1 Memo, January 30, 2018; 
• Drafting the intended consultation plan, as summarized in the Consultation Strategy for the Development of a Solid Waste Management Plan, Rev. 2.0; Updated February 1, 2019. 

The listed documents can be accessed in the Step 1 folder in ‘Related Documents’ (left pane).

Step 2 was implemented throughout 2019 and 2020 and included:

• Transition of PMAC to a Public and Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC) and invitation of new membership to PTAC;
• Consultation with the public and stakeholders, as summarized in the Consultation Summary Report, DRAFT - V.1; February 2019; 
• Soliciting feedback through the RDKS Solid Waste Survey, which was run through March 2019 and received over 900 responses;
• Setting plan objectives and exploring waste management options through review and discussion of solid waste topics with PTAC and stakeholders. 

Technical memos supporting the solid waste topics can be viewed in the Step 2 folder in ‘Related Documents’ (left pane).

Step 3 was completed through the latter half of 2020. After evaluating potential waste management strategies in Step 2, Step 3 included prioritizing strategies and assessing the financial and administrative implications. This work was done in consultation with the PTAC.

Documents related to evaluating options can be viewed in the Step 3 folder in ‘Related Documents’ (left pane).  

Step 4 was completed in 2021. The draft Solid Waste Management Plan, developed in consultation with PTAC, was approved by the RDKS Board for use in public consultation. Consultation on the draft Plan occurred from February to August of 2021 and included a public survey, a series of six virtual open house events and targeted discussions with key stakeholders. The survey received 1,215 responses and provided valuable feedback on the draft Plan. Results of the 2021 Solid Waste Survey were summarized in the 2021 Solid Waste Survey Results and RDKS Response. The main themes from the survey responses were condensed into a brief news release that was forwarded to local media for release on Sept. 13, 2021.

Feedback received from the 2021 Solid Waste Survey, virtual open house events and targeted stakeholder engagement was used to finalize the draft Solid Waste Management Plan. The final Draft Plan was approved by the Board of Directors for submission to the Ministry of Environment on Oct. 8, 2021. The final Draft Plan has been submitted to the Ministry of Environment and will undergo the provincial review process. RDKS anticipates approval of the Plan by the end of 2022.

The “2021 Solid Waste Survey Results”, “What we Heard: RDKS Response to the 2021 Solid Waste Survey” and News Release can be viewed in the Step 4 folder in ‘Related Documents’ (left pane). The Final Draft Solid Waste Management Plan and Consultation Summary Report can also be viewed in ‘Related Documents’ (left pane).

The Solid Waste Management Plan was developed in coordination with the Public and Technical Advisory Committee (PTAC). First Nations and members of the public that did not sit on PTAC had the opportunity to stay informed throughout development of the Plan by joining the Involved Working Group. Involved Working Group members received regular email updates and were invited to participate in focused meetings regarding waste management topics affecting their interests.

The public had opportunities to provide input on the Plan through two public engagement campaigns. The first campaign helped to set the goals and guiding principles of the Plan using feedback from over 900 responses to a public survey in March 2019. The second campaign helped finalize strategies proposed in the Draft Plan using feedback from over 1,200 responses to a public survey in March 2021, as well as a series of six virtual open houses and targeted stakeholder engagement. The Consultation Summary Report summarizes SWMP public engagement and can be viewed in ‘Related Documents’ (left pane).