City of Winnipeg lost over $400K on weeks-long Brady Road landfill closure
Coun. Janice Lukes questions whether other levels of government should help cover associated costs, losses
A City of Winnipeg committee has asked for a full report on costs associated with a weeks-long closure of Brady Road landfill due to blockades set up by protesters calling for a search of the facility for human remains.
On Thursday, the city's standing policy committee on finance and economic development signed off on covering $411,000 in cost overruns tied to the closure. Costs were related to tipping fees for diverting waste to two private landfills during a two-week window in December.
"That difference in cost is not something that's in the existing budget, so it's over expenditure," Tim Shanks, director of water and waste for the city, told the committee.
The figure doesn't reflect revenue losses due to the lack of solid waste disposals by the public during the time of the closure.
The finance committee has requested a more fulsome report detailing the losses. One councillor suggested the true total is likely under $1 million, while another floated the idea of asking different levels of government to consider footing bills associated with the closure.
Partial blockades occurred on Dec. 11, 13 and 14, according to the city. A more permanent encampment was set up Dec. 18, and the landfill was fully shut down from then until Dec. 31, according to Shanks. The facility didn't reopen to the public until Jan. 6.
The city said it struck a "compromise" with protesters last week when it decided to reopen Brady landfill. An encampment remains at the site, but regular public access to the dump has been restored.
The decision didn't sit well with some family members of Morgan Harris, one of four women Winnipeg police allege was killed by Jeremy Skibicki last year.
Police have said they believe the remains of Harris and Marcedes Myran, another woman investigators believe was killed by Skibicki, are at Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg.
Some of the remains of Rebecca Contois, 24, were recovered at Brady landfill in June. The portion of the facility where those remains were found has been closed to dumping ever since, according to the city.
The remains of a fourth unidentified victim, whom the community has given the name Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe (Buffalo Woman), are not known.
Cambria Harris, daughter of Morgan Harris, said last week she was disappointed the city decided to resume operations at Brady landfill, and that she stands with families who want to see it searched, as well as Prairie Green.
A committee that includes the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Winnipeg police, city officials, family of victims and other parties is working on feasibility studies for searching both facilities.
The federal government has previously agreed to fund one such study for Prairie Green in particular, but AMC said last week the committee is pursuing full searches of each site and hopes to obtain federal funds for a Brady Road feasibility study as well.
On Monday, a spokesperson with the office of Crown-Indigenous relations Minister Marc Miller declined to say whether such a funding agreement for Brady Road landfill is on the table.
After the Thursday finance committee meeting, Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital), chair of city council's water and waste committee, said he is in favour of a search of Brady Road landfill, depending on the results of the feasibility research.
He said it's hard to know what the true total is for closures in December and early January before a more detailed report is produced. He guessed it would remain under $1 million.
"It's a significant amount of money, but in a city with a $1.1-billion operating budget it's not overwhelming," he said. "We certainly have other bigger financial challenges."
During the meeting, Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) said it would be good for the city to know about additional costs or losses that aren't reflected in the $411,000 number.
She also suggested other levels of government provide financial support.
"I just think that it would be good to have a total.... The city, at this point, is footing the bill on this. It's my opinion it should have other levels of government helping support it, " Lukes said.
Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) thanked city staff and members of the Indigenous relations division for approaching talks with protesters and families with care.
"The loss of these human beings is tragic," Browaty said. "To think that they're in our landfill is just horrid."
The finance committee asked water and waste for a full report of costs associated with the closure in 2022. That's due next month, as is a verbal report on costs of closures in early January, said Browaty.
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With files from Alana Cole