Municipality of north cowichan

Talking out the Trash

The Municipality of North Cowichan needed to replace some of its aging garbage trucks. This need presented an opportunity to change the method of collection from manual pick-up to auto-cart collection for the approximately 10,000 homes serviced in the community. ZINC was brought on to gather feedback from residents on options available for the future of collection systems in the municipality.

The main point of input gathering happened via a survey, where residents were asked for input about the option of automated curbside collection. In addition, two online information sessions were held to provide more details on the options for new/updated services, and a project video was shared via social media, directing people to complete the survey.

An engagement summary report was compiled for Council’s consideration on a path forward. The survey resulted in 2,346 responses from participants and a strong interest in the municipality considering a change to automated collection.