The plan to bring composting bins to Winnipeg households

Homeowners could have a green cart added to the curb as well as an additional annual fee, in order to divert fruit, vegetables, and meat from the trash.

A city report is recommending Winnipeg move ahead with a food waste collection program for all single-family homes.

The report says of those who participated in a pilot project, a majority said they support the creation of a citywide system.

For two years, Lorraine Woods put food waste, like fruits and vegetables, in this green bin and rolled it to the curb for pickup and compost.

"You go through your fridge and some of the grapes you're going to throw out, well instead they go in the compost bin," said Woods. "It was easy to use, it certainly reduced waste for sure."

She was part of a pilot project involving 4,000 Winnipeg households.

Now there's a proposal to make the program permanent and city-wide for all single family homes in an effort to divert food from the landfill and cut down on greenhouse gases.

A city report is recommending homeowners receive a 120 litre green bin, along with a seven litre pail for kitchen scraps from fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy.

The cart would be rolled out weekly with your garbage and recycling carts. Pilot project results indicate the majority of people who took part are in favour of the program.

"I think it's time we realize that the majority of Winnipeggers want to see a composting program," said Mayor Scott Gillingham

Homeowners would have pay an $8 annual fee between 2024 and 2029 so the city could deploy and manage the green bins and kitchen pails needed.

A private composting facility to handle the waste would not be operational until 2030, when the fee would jump to $96 dollars a year.

"I'm not going to minimize, it's bigger than an annual property tax increase but I think we got to get going on this," said water and waste committee chair Brian Mayes.

Mayes likes the direction the report is going in, but says the upfront $8 dollar fee and timeline are problematic. "I'm troubled by the idea that we won't get to the curb until 2030," said Mayes.

The report says the city could try to implement the program sooner, and the cost estimates don't factor in potential help from other levels of government.