Fredericton to dish out $50K in rebates for landlords as part of new recycling program

The City of Fredericton is planning to pay landlords for expenses they might incur by accommodating curbside recycling at their apartment buildings.

Starting Tuesday, landlords of buildings with five or more units will be able to apply for up to $1,000 in rebates for any expenses incurred from new painting, lighting or construction activity needed to create the space where tenants will be leaving their recycling material once a new curbside recycling program begins next May.

"It's an incentive aimed at addressing that final barrier," said Jillian Hudgins, environmental strategist with the City of Fredericton.

"As I mentioned, space is sometimes lacking, especially in smaller, older buildings … [where] the building wasn't designed to have a recycling area."

Fredericton city council gave final approval Monday to bylaw amendments that will require owners of buildings with five or more units to provide a space for tenants to leave their recycling as of May 1, 2025.

The bylaw changes are in keeping with New Brunswick's switch to an extended producer responsibility program, which requires producers of products with paper and plastic packaging to pay for the costs to recycle the packaging.

That new program is now being administered by Circular Materials Atlantic, which already took over curbside recycling for detached homes and smaller apartment buildings from the City of Fredericton.

However, the city historically has not provided curbside recycling for larger apartment buildings, leaving tenants no choice but to haul their recycling to a blue bin or a redemption centre, or just chuck it in the trash.

As of next May, Circular Materials Atlantic will begin collecting curbside recycling from those larger apartment buildings, taking responsibility for the cost of the bins, and the collection service.

"So a landlord would have to provide space, provide access to recycling, and register with Circular Materials Atlantic for collection as well," Hudgins said.

Earlier resistance from landlords

Hudgins said some landlords have in the past been resistant to proposals requiring curbside recycling at larger apartment buildings, citing concerns about costs.

She said those concerns should be all but allayed, considering all landlords need to do is designate a space at their property where Circular Materials Atlantic can install its bins, and collect the recycling from.

"There really shouldn't be any cost increase to the rent at the property," Hudgins said. "The big cost to recycling, the cost of the bin, the cost of collection — that's covered through the [producer responsibility] program."

"Now we are also helping with the remaining barrier of the space. Yes, there might be some small time [required] for a maintenance person to bring a bin to the curb or a bit of cleanup, so we did meet with the development community in March. Overall, it was a very positive feedback."

Hudgins said starting Tuesday, landlords will be able to access an online application portal, where they'll enter information about their building and the type of work they'd need to do to provide a space for the recycling bin.

Once the city confirms their eligibility, they can complete the work, and then send photos, invoices and receipts, in order to get rebates for what they spent, up to $1,000, she said.

Hudgins said the city has set aside $50,000 for the rebate program, which comes from savings resulting from Circular Materials Atlantic taking over curbside recycling for detached homes and smaller apartment buildings in May of this year.

"For the rebate, the deadline to apply is October 31st, but it's first come, first served, so if the funding is exhausted … then the program will be closed."