Dear Editor,
The most commonly asked question at the Flin Flon Recycling Centre and of our board members is: “Why don’t we get money back for our drink containers like they do in Saskatchewan?” This is often followed by criticism of the Manitoba government for another form of a tax grab, etc.
I know that this topic has been covered in the recycling column more than once, but there are still those that may have questions about this, and there are those who ignore the system in place and take their beverage containers to Saskatchewan for a refund.
The simple fact is that in our neighbouring province of Saskatchewan, residents are charged much higher fees for all forms of recyclable containers.
Each drink container, for instance, carries a 16 cent levy. In Manitoba the fee is two cents. In Saskatchewan the SARCAN program affords residents the chance to save up the containers and line up while the containers are accounted for in order to get 10 cents of their money back. The other six cents goes to supporting the SARCAN program (salaries, etc.).
In Manitoba the two-cent levy goes to recycling centres and helps provide recycle bins through the Recycle Everywhere program. The business community in Creighton is under the Manitoba system due to the fact that we are a border community and it would be a financial hardship for them to charge the extra fees.
For those that do manage to get the containers purchased in this area into the SARCAN program, they are collecting money that is not owed to them.
Hmmm. Lose six cents on every container and have to do the work myself to get the rest of the money back, or pay two cents and simply send my containers with the rest of my recycling to be dealt with. I guess the point is to be careful what you wish for!
Barbara Lyons,
Vice-chair, Flin Flon and District Environment Council
