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. Our SWMP planning process has followed the four-step process described in the BC Ministry of Environment Guide to Solid Waste Management Planning 2016. 

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. 

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 the prioritizing of these strategies and assessing the financial and administrative implications. This work was done in consultation with the PTAC.  

We are currently working on Step 4 of the planning process. We have prepared the draft plan and are now consulting with citizens on strategies proposed in the Plan. Consultation will take place between approximately February and April of 2021 and will include a public survey, a series of virtual open house events and targeted phone interviews. Feedback from consultation will be used to finalize the Plan for submission to the Ministry of Environment. 

Join the Involved Working Group to stay informed as the Solid Waste Plan develops and provide your input. Members of the Involved Working Group will receive regular email updates and are invited to participate in focused meetings regarding waste management topics directly affecting their interests. Please contact the Environmental Services Coordinator, Nicki Veikle, at (250) 615-6100 if you wish to be included in the Involved Working Group.

The public will have opportunities to provide input on plan goals and guiding principles through public surveys and virtual open houses. The first public survey, run through March 2019, received over 900 responses. Our second survey is happening through February and March 2021 to collect feedback on the strategies in the Draft Solid Waste Management Plan. Following the second survey, we will be hosting a series of virtual open houses and targeted stakeholder interviews. Responses and feedback from this consultation will be incorporated into the final Solid Waste Management Plan.'

TAKE THE 2021 SOLID WASTE SURVEY!