City of Timmins launches pilot sharp collection program
When people find drug litter on public property in Timmins, the city wants them to contact Service Timmins.
Officials said people can call or email and employees from the waste management department will clean it up, part of a pilot project aimed at simplifying how discarded needles and syringes are cleaned up safely.
Since October 2023, city officials said every municipal worker now gets sharp disposal training. As of May 1, public works will carry out collection of drug litter on public property such as parks, roads, streets, sidewalks and boulevards.
“We have dedicated individuals that are out, doing regular road patrols or investigations anyways, and … they will be dispatched to, to collect sharps where they find them,” said Ken Krecel, director of public works and environmental services.
“Council brought it up in 2023 and it was a really important topic for our community, especially because we had nothing in place prior,” said Meagan Baranyk, the city’s community programs manager.
“We had an agency take over (but) it wasn't a right fit, it was an agency that was an emergency shelter and it really does align better with the City of Timmins, taking it over with the waste management.”
For the time being, collection is limited to weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sharps reported over the weekend will be picked up on Monday.
“So the phone number is 264-1331, so that would be the Service Timmins,” Baranyk said.
“But again, a lot of people have access to the Internet so they can put in a service ticket … (and) if you put in a service ticket, your email is there and then you can have that closed door where once the sharp is picked up, you'll be notified.”
Colleen Losier, who owns Beautiful You Aesthetics on Algonquin Boulevard, said she wonders what will happen on commercial properties.
“Every single night for the past several months, we've been having homeless people come behind our building and shoot up drugs and leave their dirty needles just laying around,” Losier said.
“Everywhere in the parking lot behind our building is a cesspool … My husband and my son come out almost on a daily basis -- at least three or four times a week minimum -- to pick up all the needles.”
Her son recently was cut by a needle he didn’t know was stuffed in a newspaper.
o Download our app to get local alerts on your device
o Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“He was bleeding (and) it was swollen,” she said.
“We went to the hospital.”
Krecel said under the Municipal Act, city employees are not allowed to enter private property, prohibiting them from picking up needles at commercial locations.
City officials said business owners can call Service Timmins to find out where drug litter may be disposed of.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton dead following prison attack
Convicted B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton, who preyed on women he lured from Vancouver's Downtown Eastside to his rural pig farm, has died.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
DND moving 1,000 employees out of Ottawa office building due to safety concerns
The Department of National Defence is moving approximately 1,000 employees out of an office building in Ottawa's Lowertown neighbourhood, citing safety concerns for its employees.
Baby dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to woman who was in police custody
A newborn is dead after being delivered via emergency C-section to a woman in police custody.
Marian Robinson, mother of Michelle Obama, dies at 86
Marian Shields Robinson, the mother of Michelle Obama who moved with the first family to the White House when son-in-law Barack Obama was elected president, has died. She was 86.
Jennifer Lopez cancels summer tour: 'I am completely heartsick and devastated'
Jennifer Lopez has cancelled her 2024 North American tour, representatives for Live Nation confirmed to The Associated Press.
This Calgary home has a giant tree in the middle, and it's for sale
There's a luxury 'tree home' for sale in Calgary.
These are the recalls in Canada this week
Health Canada recalled various items this week, including more unauthorized products, counterfeit drugs and bassinets.
Biden speaks after Donald Trump's conviction in hush money case
A day after a New York jury delivered a historic guilty verdict in Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee held a press conference Friday where he spoke publicly about the conviction and his White House bid.