THE MELVILLE Friday, $1.50 PER COPY GST INCLUDED March 5, 2021 Vol. 95 No. 5 Agreement # 40011922 PROUDLY SERVING MELVILLE AND SURROUNDING AREA SINCE 1929 • WWW.GRASSLANDSNEWS.CA • 1-306-728-5448 Melville embracing recycling program with high success City’s high recycling rate nets rebate of over $50,000 By Emily Jane Fulford Grasslands News Waste Management – it’s been the hot topic of de- bate and discussion for the last couple of years in the City of Melville. From plans regarding the manage- ment for the existing landfill in a way that would be compliant with The Saskatchewan Ministry of Envi- ronment, to Melville’s involvement in the war on sin- gle-use plastics, to implementing curbside garbage and recycling pickup, to the opening of the new SARCAN facility, the topic of Waste Management was second only to COVID-19 in 2020. Rewind back to winter of last year, there was a lot of speculation surrounding curbside recycling pickup vs. the old way - driving to an ice-covered lot on First Avenue and going through the motions of sorting out recyclables into an array of different collection units, each with its own set of rules, while attempting to remain upright. The City of Melville believed that relieving its citizens of the nuisance process would encourage recycling and reduce waste. The numbers show favorably to that end. New planning manager “The City of Melville implemented a more com- Alex Popoff has been hired as the City of prehensive recycling program in 2020 to ensure that we prolong the longevity of the landfill by effectively 0HOYLOOH·V3ODQQLQJ6HUYLFHVDQG'HYHO- diverting 30 per cent of the waste intake,” says City opment Manager. Alex will look after mu- Manager Ron McCullough. “By implementing a curb- nicipal bylaw regulations and works with side collection program for our recyclables, we are Council to provide information for making eligible for the Multi-Material Stewardship (MMSW) decisions regarding development, zoning program. The MMSW is an organization that over- DQG VXEGLYLVLRQV 6HH UHODWHG VWRU\ RQ sees the Saskatchewan recycling program, which en- page 15. sures businesses selling or distributing packaging and printed paper materials share the responsibility with CHRIS ASHFIELD | GRASSLANDS NEWS municipalities to finance the collection and recycling of household packaging and paper. The Multi-Material Stewardship Western program rate is $27.50 per home per year. This funding will result in an annual rebate payment of nearly $51,507.50 for the City of Melville. the Recycle Coach program, a popular app designed compared to all other communities they provide this Administration has submitted our annual report, and to help municipalities reduce waste by educating the service to,” says McCullough. “We want to thank the the rebate will be issued to the City of Melville within public. community of Melville for embracing the curbside the next few months.” The Recycle Coach app, like many apps, is designed program and making it so successful.” In June of 2020, Ottenbreit Sanitation Services (OSS) as a tracking program that collects data on its users. Just over a year ago in January of 2020, the Govern- deployed 1,873 curbside waste and recycling carts to The City of Melville’s usage is as follows: ment of Saskatchewan released an updated provincial all residences across the city. Needless to say, making So far, The City of Melville has 503 users per 1,000 Solid Waste Management Strategy. The outline pro- the task of recycling easier paid off, as the tonnage of households, this is roughly double the norm, as the av- vided a basic strategy for waste management goals, recyclables collected increased by over 28 per cent. It erage community has 252 users per 1,000 households. both short and long-term, intended to take place over was an extremely solid start to a new program that The interactions are also more than double, with 5,849 the next 20 years. The target: 30 per cent reduction by had caused a lot of stir in its infancy. user interactions logged on the app, compared to the 2030 and 50 per cent by 2040. It’s a plan that may seem “We expect the amount of recyclables to increase average of 2,197 interactions. Needless to say, resi- daunting to the average person but it’s not intended to as we move forward,” explains McCullough. “The dents of Melville spend a lot of time on this app and it be accomplished entirely on an individual to individ- curbside program has been received well by the com- may be indirectly related to the amount of time spent ual level. People don’t always have that much control munity, and the figures reflect this. The monthly recy- online in general. While that may not necessarily be a over what garbage comes into the home and subse- clables collected has steadily increased from July 2020 good thing when it comes to most social media apps, quently out of it, and that is where the stewardship until December 2020 and will continue to do so the the Recycle Coach seems fairly harmless and has the programs come in. longer the program is in operation.” potential to help the environment which puts it a far The province is open to all ideas that will help re- However, The City of Melville does not plan to rest cry ahead of many of the options one has to poke at duce household waste before the point of entry, and on its laurels when it comes to waste reduction. They on a smartphone. that’s where packaging comes in. The Household Pack- plan to use the city’s website as well as social media “Ottenbreit Sanitation Services confirmed that the aging and Paper Stewardship Program Regulations to increase awareness and encourage residents to recy- City of Melville has a high recycling percentage per are in place to govern the distribution of packaging cle more and reduce waste. They also partnered with capita with one of the lowest contamination rates - SEE RECYCLING, 15 • Motor Licence Issuer • Notary Public • Surety • Home/Auto/Farm/Commercial • Blue Cross • GMS • Hagerty OPEN Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Melville - Springside - Ituna Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Excluding Long Weekends 228 Main St. 306-728-4457 www.melvilleagencies.com @MA1974LTD 2 March 5, 2021 0HOYLOOH$GYDQFH:KLWHZRRG*UHQIHOO+HUDOG6XQ)RUW4X·$SSHOOH7LPHV Grasslands News Love of the north shines through in her artwork By Sarah Pacio you’ve seen out there In December, Nind Grasslands News before. I didn’t want to began priming each be like anybody else; I canvas with six coats of wanted my own style, my paint to achieve the de- Artist Monique Nind own way.” sired background. Then is sharing her love of the As she continued to she sketched each scene north and her passion pursue the hobby, her fa- and last weekend fin- for fishing through a ther and others proposed ished outlining them in series of paintings com- she sell some of her work black paint. Over the missioned by the Sas- and she was successful in next few months, she will katchewan Arts Board doing this. Nind desired continue to add colors (SK Arts). to take her art further as and eventually varnish. Nind is an Inuvialuit a career and began seek- “Each painting has a Beneficiary, formerly ing grants to make this story to tell; I want the from Yellowknife, NWT. possible. Last year, she person to not only visual- She moved to Saskatche- applied for funding from ize what I’m saying in the wan nine years ago and the Indigenous Peoples picture, but to feel what’s now lives in Grenfell Art & Artists program going on and get the sen- near her daughter and offered by SK Arts. Her sations of the wind or five grandchildren. application was approved the water glistening – all Painting came natu- and she said it was a the details,” Nind said. “I rally for Nind, having “game changer,” giving want the person to expe- been surrounded by art- her confidence to believe rience that when they’re ists all her life. Her aunt she could succeed. looking at my paintings Mona Thrasher was a Nind chose “The Love or reading the journal.” well-known Indigenous of Fishing” as the theme Nind will complete artist; other friends and for her project, which the project by the end of family, like her mother, will include four paint- May and, depending on sold their artwork or ings accompanied by COVID-related restric- taught art in school. Sup- journals. “One of my pas- tions, the SK Arts will ported by these inspiring $UWLVWLFÁDLU sions in life is to go fish- host a display of the fin- figures and with encour- Self-taught artist Mo- ing every summer,” Nind ished paintings later this agement from family nique Nind from Gren- explained. “It came out year. members, Nind began to fell is expressing her into my artwork; this se- Anyone interested in take a serious interest ORYHRIÀVKLQJWKURXJK ries portrays the stories Nind’s work can contact in creating her own art- of the fishing trips.” her through Facebook. a series of paintings work in 2009. (above) commissioned Nind is self-taught; by the Saskatchewan she watched others and Arts Board. The proj- studied their techniques, Hon. Warren Kaeding PAg. ect will be completed working hard to develop MLA for Melville-Saltcoats Minister of Environment by the end of May. Nind her own unique style also expresses her love using acrylic paints. “I had gone to quite a few Phone: 306-728-3881 [email protected] of the north through art museums, art galler- her other works of art ies over the years and I OFFICE HOURS (right).