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GFL will pay for `failure ... down the road': Bannon BY SANDRA BOLAN 17, Stouffville Sun-Tribune www.yorkregion.com Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014 GET CONNECTED COMMENT & POST A PHOTO: facebook.com/Stouffville Sun-Tribune SEND YOUR LETTER: Email your comments and/or suggestions to jmason@yrmg.com JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Be the first to comment at yorkregion.com Patrick Dovigi (left) and Brian Kent of GFL listen to town councillors Tuesday. sbolan@yrmg.com http://4350582 STAFF PHOTO/SANDRA BOLAN There was no apology, but Green For Life Environmental (GFL) officials admitted Tuesday to Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville councillors there was a communication failure between them, town staff and residents late last year when green and blue bin collection was disrupted. GFL representatives were asked by Mayor Wayne Emmerson to make a presentation to councillors because "I thought it was time we talked directly to the man in charge". Only two members of the public were in attendance. They were not allowed to ask questions. Patrick Dovigi, GFL founder and president, along with Brian Kent, vice-president of the company's solid waste and recycling division, both noted they were not aware of Whitchurch-Stouffville's collection problems in the aftermath of the ice storm and subsequent deep freeze, until it was too late. They said the area manager failed to tell them of the service problems he and his crews were experiencing. "There's been a failure on your behalf to meet those (contract) standards and it's been an ongoing basis," Councillor Phil Bannon told Mr. Dovigi and Mr. Kent. "You're going to have to suffer the consequences down the road." Unlike other councillors who thanked the pair from GFL for coming before council to provide insight on what happened and what the plan is going forward, Rob Hargrave instead said he appreciated their appearance and then asked them, on a scale of one to 10, how much they appreciated the municipality's business. "We value everybody's business as a 10," Mr. Dovigi said. "All we have is our reputation ... everybody has forgotten about the last six years." On one of the coldest days on record in the GTA, collection was cancelled in the so-called N6 -- York Region's six northern municipalities. ONTARIO GOVERNMENT NOTICE NOTICE OF DETAIL DESIGN COMMENCEMENT REHABILITATION OF THIRTEEN (13) BRIDGES ALONG HIGHWAY 404 NORTH OF HIGHWAY 401 NORTHERLY TO AURORA ROAD - G.W.P. 2179-08-00 DETAIL DESIGN AND CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THE PROJECT URS Canada Inc. has been retained by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to undertake a Detail Design and Class Environmental Assessment Study (G.W.P. 2179-08-00) for the rehabilitation of thirteen (13) bridges along Highway 404. The project includes rehabilitation of the: · · · · · · · · · Aurora Road Bridges both eastbound (EB) and westbound (WB); Stouffville Road Bridges (EB and WB); 19th Avenue Bridge; Major Mackenzie Drive Bridges (EB and WB); John Street Bridge; Steeles Avenue Bridges (EB and WB); Woodbine Avenue Bridge (southbound (SB)); McNicoll Avenue Bridge; and, Van Horne Avenue Bridge. The project limits stretch approximately 32 km and are located within the City of Toronto and the Municipality of York. THE PROCESS This project is following the approved planning process for a Group `C' project under the MTO Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities (2000). An Environmental Screening Document (ESD) will be prepared to document the study process, recommended improvements, consultation undertaken during the study and potential environmental issues and mitigation measures. The ESD will not be made available for public review and comment and there is no Part II Order (bumpup) request opportunity provided for a Group `C' project. Construction staging alternatives will be generated and evaluated during the Detail Design stage. These alternatives will be based on technical and environmental factors and developed in consultation with the stakeholders, municipalities and government agencies. COMMENTS To obtain additional information, provide comments or to be placed on the project mailing list, please contact the Project Team as follows: Sabina Mérey, P.Eng. Project Engineer Highway Engineering ­ Toronto and Durham Ministry of Transportation, Central Region Building D, 4th Floor, 1201 Wilson Avenue Downsview, ON M3M 1J8 Tel: 416-235-4876 Fax: 416-235-3576 E-mail: sabina.merey@ontario.ca Brian Peltier, MASc., P.Eng. Consultant Project Manager URS Canada Inc. 4th Floor, 30 Leek Crescent Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4N4 Tel: 905-882-4401 Fax: 905-882-4399 E-mail: brian.peltier@urs.com Holly Wright, M.E.B. Consultant Project Environmental Planner URS Canada Inc. 4th Floor, 30 Leek Crescent Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4N4 Tel: 905-882-4401 Fax: 905-882-4399 E-mail: holly.wright@urs.com TRACK RECORD IGNORED, GFL SAYS It was a decision made early Tuesday, Jan. 7 between GFL officials and the northern six waste management representatives. "Trucks had already left town when I found out," Paul Whitehouse, director of public works for the municipality told The Sun-Tribune. This was not the first time collection was cancelled due to weather. In early 2013, GFL and its northern six waste collection representatives agreed to suspend collection for one day due to snow, Mr. Whitehouse told The Sun-Tribune. He said promises from GFL this past December and January that collection would be done on a particular day, then didn't, led to much of the frustration felt by town staff and residents. "The communication between GFL and us went south," Mr. Whitehouse said in an interview. Mr. Dovigi noted moving forward, communication between his staff and town employees will improve. A back-up generator will be installed later this month in order to avoid a repeat of the four days the company was without phone service in December. Meanwhile, Mr. Hargrave hopes community goodwill will be part of GFL's future plans, since fining the company does nothing for the inconvenienced residents, he said. "We did our best. Sometimes your best isn't enough," Mr. Dovigi told The Sun-Tribune following his meeting with council. There is an opportunity at any time during the study for interested persons to provide input to the Project Team including comments and information regarding the study. Comments are being collected to assist MTO in meeting the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act. This material will be maintained on file for use during the study and may be included in project documentation. Information collected will be used in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. Renseignements en français disponibles en composant le (905) 882-4401, poste 1854 (Karen Cooper) ou karen.cooper@urs.com.