The City of Campbell River has awarded the curbside collection contract for trash, recycling, and organics to Emterra Environmental.
The ongoing partnership with Emterra Environmental will last for the next decade, allowing the city to shift from manual to automated curbside collection services, says the city. This automated system employs trucks equipped with mechanical arms to pick up and empty standardized bins set out at the curb. This approach is in line with best practices for solid waste management and mirrors recent changes made by nearby communities such as the City of Courtenay and the Town of Comox.
“Transitioning to an automated curbside collection service is an exciting and necessary step forward for the community as we look to maintain service levels, divert waste and keep costs affordable,” said Andy Gaylor, the city's director of community planning and livability in an April 30 media release. “Emterra has provided the city with reliable curbside collection for almost twenty years and with this continued partnership we look forward to embracing automated collection so that we can maintain the high service level that Campbell Riverites have come to expect. Over the next several months, the city will share information with the public regarding the new service so that folks can learn about and prepare for the changes and have all their questions answered.”
The city says curbside collection will continue as currently scheduled for the remainder of 2025. In the spring of 2026, collection will transition to an automated, four-day, bi-weekly collection service for garbage and recycling. Organics collection will transition to an automated four-day service but will remain on a weekly schedule. Residents will receive three new bins sized at 360 litres for organics and recycling, and 180 litres for garbage. Households will be provided with an opportunity to exchange their bins for smaller containers or to purchase additional bins if needed.
Automated collection is considered a best practice to balance efficient waste pick-up with cost of service and to promote waste diversion. It also enhances health and safety processes as bins are more maneuverable, does not require carrying or lifting, and helps control rodent and wildlife interactions.
Current contracted costs total $2,767,219 for 2025, and the newly awarded curbside collection contract is $2,679,500 for the first year of the ten-year contract. The city said its solid waste program is self-funded, meaning that these service costs are paid through user fees and not taxation.
In 2024, the city secured a $633,423 grant from CleanBC – Organics Infrastructure and Collection Program, which was put towards the purchase of 11,232 bins, which totalled $959,033. Future grants will be pursued that could offset the costs of purchasing the remaining bins.
