Council to consider privatized garbage pickup in the east end

City council will look at privatizing garbage on Toronto's east side, thanks to a request by Coun. Jaye Robinson and an about-face by Mayor John Tory. 

Robinson on Tuesday called for a study of garbage collection east of Yonge Street. The report is due back in April.

Garbage west of Yonge Street has for years been collected by the private company Green for Life, a move that was frequently claimed as a victory for the city under former mayor Rob Ford. 

During the election, Ford vowed to privatize the rest of the city.

Tory also promised while campaigning to privatize collection on the east side — saying the issue had been studied thoroughly enough.  

Today, Tory said it needs further study. 

"If contracting out doesn't save money then why bother?" he said Tuesday. "I want to know what the facts are. It's the responsible thing to do." 

Robinson said "we really think a third-party analysis is important. It's a very complex issue." 

Union worried

Tory says a decision will be made by early summer, just as the city begins contract negotiations with its largest union, CUPE. 

The union says the report's arrival close to the negotiations is worrying, and that a move towards privatization will impact talks. 

"It will be a sour mood for all the negotiators at the table," said Dave Hewitt of CUPE Local 416.

Hewitt said 200 jobs will be lost if east-side garbage collection is privatized.

He also said the savings claimed by the city are inaccurate, though he wouldn't say why. 

He said the union wants to see a cost analysis of the labour it takes to pick up garbage.

The current contract for garbage pickup east of Yonge Street in the city ends on December 31, 2015.