New app reminds Chaleur residents to take out the trash

The Chaleur Regional Service Commission, with the help of a grant from New Brunswick's Environmental Trust Fund, has created an app to aid communication between the commission and residents.

The app, available through the Google Play store on Android devices, or the App Store on iPhones, is free. It sends push notifications the evening before garbage day and recycling pick-up.

"It's to keep our citizens more informed. We know an informed citizen is an engaged citizen," said environmental manager Yanick Sirois.

"We want them engaged to waste diversion and environmental protection."

To use the app, which cost $6,000 to develop, users need only to type in their address to receive notifications.

The application will also send updates to the users' devices in the event of a snow storm or other delay.

"When there's a storm or a truck is broken, we can inform our citizens in real time, telling them for example, that collection will be delayed for a day or two," said Sirois.

The app can also be accessed from a computer linked to the Internet.

Residents who don't have an electronic device can call the regional service commission to sign up for the service and receive phone call reminders to a land line.