City of Chilliwack is looking at requiring local stores to supply an exterior garbage can to cut down on the amount of "nuisance" trash in the streets.
City council has two changes to the solid-waste management bylaw to consider at the July 2 meeting, as suggested by staff.
The first amendment is the proposed requirement for both grocery stores and grocery-convenience stores, to have an "on-site exterior waste receptacle" for their customers.
"At present, only drive-through establishments are required to provide waste receptacles on-site in the queuing lane," according to the staff report related to the July 2 agenda.
The store-related trash has been reportedly "creating a nuisance" outside these stores, and "placing an undue burden on the city's streetside waste containers," the report noted.
The new waste receptacle requirement will apply to stores with on-site parking.
The second change is an attempt to deal with the fact that "complaints continue to come in" about bears getting into compost and garbage containers in hillside areas of Chilliwack with a lot of wildlife activity.
This is despite ongoing efforts by city staff in recent years to make bylaw changes reducing the number of hours the containers can be left out ahead of curbside collection.
The bylaw change council will be voting on will clarify that residents can "only" set out their curbside waste in areas with wildlife issues between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. on collection day.
"Residential neighbourhoods, particularly in the city's hillside areas, can experience conflict with bears and other wildlife," the staff report explains. "Despite the Solid Waste Management Bylaw amendments made in 2020 and 2023 prescribing times for residents to set out curbside materials in designated areas with wildlife issues, city staff continue to receive reports of bears accessing waste materials and many residents are concerned for their safety, as well as that of the bears."
Council will vote on these matters at the Tuesday meeting.