Aurora homeowner mails garbage to company after it’s not picked up

GlobalNews.ca
Jan. 13, 2015
Mark McAllister

One homeowner’s complaint about his trash not being picked up from the curb has gone viral.

Aurora resident Jeff Ketelaars decided to produce a video criticising Green For Life (GFL) after he called the company to say his garbage was by-passed by trucks in his neighbourhood on Dec. 11 2014.

Ketelaars said he had previously called GFL customer service and was told his garbage wasn’t put out on time.

“They were not interested in the proof,” he said. “They had indicated to me in harsh tones that they had my address and my garbage wasn’t curbside.”

Security video from his home indicates that the trash was taken to the end of his driveway shortly after 9:30 a.m. Later in the evening, trucks are seen passing by without stopping.

The town’s policy is to have garbage set out by 7 a.m. on the morning collection is to take place.

“When the driver starts his route, he’s picking up the garbage as he moves through the streets,” Aurora’s Environmental Services Director, Ilmar Simanovskis said.

“Once the garbage is collected, we don’t encourage the drivers to stop and pick up late set-outs because it delays the entire schedule.”

The complaint comes as the City of Toronto begins to study the possibility of privatizing garbage collection east of Yonge Street.

Statistics released in the spring of 2014 indicated that more complaints were registered against GFL’s service in Toronto than the city’s own workers.

A report based on additional statistics and data is expected in April 2015.

“We’re looking at best value for the least cost,” Public Works chair Jaye Robinson said. “Coupled with that also customer service and having effective customer service across the city.”

Ketelaars solution for not getting the service he was expecting? Boxing it up and shipping it to the private company directly.

“It really isn’t about the garbage,” he said. “Afterward it was the customer service and the lack of customer service.”

He’s had no issues with collection since.