TORONTO

Council puts stipulations on garbage privatization

by Steve Craig

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford succeeded in getting initial support from City Council to privatize waste collection from Yonge Street to the east Etobicoke border, but this battle is not finished.

Councillor Ana Bailao’s motion—adopted despite Ford’s opposition—promises that there will be an independent review of private bids to ascertain whether Ford’s plan is in fact cheaper than city run services.

The second defeat for Ford came with the adoption of a motion by Councillor Josh Matlow to ban Progressive Waste Solutions (PWS), a company that snapped up former city manager Geoff Rathbone who was the brainchild of the initial privatization recommendation report made while working for the city.

There is speculation that PWS may sue the city, and this could get very expensive.

Ford’s plans for Toronto are simply the reduction and elimination of city services: “private for profit” services for those who can afford them all for the same cost with no tax savings. This will eliminate 300 good jobs, and an independent audit has refuted the savings.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Environmental Alliance has opposed privatization on ecological grounds: in 2009 the York region contractor sent 4,000 tons of recyclable material to landfills. An alliance between workers, environmentalists, and those who want public services is emerging to challenge Ford’s plan.

We must keep the pressure on council to keep our services public.

For more information, visit www.keepitpublic.com.