The results of the Sunshine Coast Regional District's (SCRD) survey on recycling are in, and it seems the vast majority of residents in the rural areas are satisfied with the SCRD's current depot service, but still, a majority would like to see curbside pickup.
SCRD directors accepted reports from staff and survey firm NRG Research Group at the infrastructure services committee meeting last Thursday (July 8).
The survey of residents in Halfmoon Bay, Roberts Creek, Elphinstone and West Howe Sound found 86 per cent of residents were somewhat or very satisfied with the current green bin recycling depots in Gibsons and Sechelt. Support for curbside pick up was 69 per cent across the four areas, and ranged between 63 per cent in West Howe Sound and 75 per cent in Roberts Creek. When respondents were asked if they would support curbside if it came with a price tag of $48 to $72 per household per year, the total support dropped to 60 per cent across all areas. The area least eager for curbside at those costs was Elphinstone where support dropped to 55 per cent. Roberts Creek remained the highest at 63 per cent.
When asked if they would support increased service levels at depots at a cost of $5 to $10 a year, residents in the rural areas gave 64 per cent support.
The survey and its results have detractors, both on the board and in the community.
West Howe Sound director Lee Turnbull noted that the survey firm failed to reach the board's goal of having 100 respondents in Area F.
"That's a real problem with this survey from my perspective, and when I look at some of the results from West Howe Sound, they're not too keen about some of these things," she said.
Elphinstone director Lorne Lewis noted 24 per cent of calls to addresses in Elphinstone and West Howe Sound were met with "not in service" messages. Lewis said this is likely because, in tough economic times, people have had to choose between cell phones and landlines and have opted to cancel their home phone service.
"You missed the lower income demographic, which makes up a large portion of the people in Elphinstone," he said.
Vel Anderson, speaking on behalf of the Elphinstone Electors Community Association, Citizens for Responsible Recycling and Sunshine Coastal Environmental Sustainability Society, questioned the validity of the survey and urged directors to not forward the survey report to the solid waste management plan update working group (SWMP), an advisory group that helps make recommendations for solid waste policy for the SCRD.
Staff said it was unfortunate and unexpected that the response rate in West Howe Sound did not meet the SCRD's goal. The survey time was extended in that area for several extra days to see if the numbers could be increased.
Board chair Donna Shugar said she was also disappointed with the lack of data from West Howe Sound, but on the whole, said she trusted the content of the results even if they are unpopular with some.
"I think no matter what we do, no matter what research we do, we will find detractors. I think we've worked very hard to do as good a job as we can," she said. "I'm sorry the survey has indicated something different from what some people in the community have been saying to the SCRD very directly."
The SWMP working group is expected to incorporate the results into their update this fall.
The survey is considered accurate within plus or minus 9.7 per cent 19 times out of 20 except in West Howe Sound where the low response rate widened the margin of error to plus or minus 13.6 per cent.
The full report is published on the SCRD's website at www.scrd.ca.
