Bancroft area Stewardship Council Past President Steve Wilkins at Hastings County council, January 25, 2018 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quine News)
A move is on to stop illegal dumping on public lands in Hastings County and across Ontario.
The Bancroft Area Stewardship Council has joined forces with Crime Stoppers to launch a campaign to put an end to people dumping items such as fridges or even shingles on green spaces, and campsites.
Past President Steve Wilkins told Hastings County council on Thursday the idea is to encourage municipalities to join the campaign
#1 WILKINS
Wilkins says it is just getting started.
# 2 WILKINS
The idea is that people should call Crime Stoppers if they see any illegal dumping.
The Stewardship Council created posters and information cards listing Crime Stoppers’ telephone number: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
The hotline will give any tips to authorities, such as municipal bylaw officers.
The posters are now in more than 300 Service Ontario offices.
For $500, municipalities receive a package of posters, postcards and digital files allowing them to print more.
Bancroft and Hastings Highlands were the first to signup.
Not all municipal leaders are on-side.
Marmora and Lake Reeve Terry Clemens expressed doubts about the program, saying his township pays someone to pickup the garbage and goes to court. He said, “It’s a sad fact of life, the offender says somebody stole the garbage and dumped it and is acquitted.”
Clemens said “Eighty-percent of the people are next to animals, how is this going to help?”
Warden Rodney Clooney indicated dumping of garbage is a huge issue in the agricultural sector. He said that “it’s easy to throw out a toilet or a fridge on agricultural land.”
“We all try to teach our kids not to be throwing stuff out the windows, but it seems to be harder for adults to stop doing it,” Cooney said.
Other councillors urged Wilkins to approach the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance and other such organizations.
Tweed Mayor Jo-Anne Albert suggested campaign officials meet with officials of the Ontario Municipalities of Ontario in the next few weeks to promote the campaign.
