British ColumbiaThe City of Prince George will be adjusting its garbage pickup schedule as regional district workers continue strike action.Regional district workers are picketing for higher wagesAndrew Kurjata · CBC News · Posted: Oct 21, 2025 4:37 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 21A waste bin awaits pickup as a garbage truck drives by in the city of Prince George, B.C. The city adjusted its garbage collection schedule amid job action by workers with the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, represented by CUPE 1699. (Andrew Kurjata/CBC)The City of Prince George is adjusting its garbage collection schedule as strike action affects access to the local landfill.Members of CUPE 1699 have withdrawn some of their services as part of a contract dispute with the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, which operates landfills and transfer stations in Prince George, Mackenzie and the Robson Valley.On Monday, workers at those locations set up picket lines, preventing garbage collection from carrying on as normal. City workers who collect garbage are also unionized and avoid crossing picket lines from other unions.Although the union had already planned to resume service for the rest of the week, on Monday the B.C. Labour Relations Board designated access to the landfill in Prince George as an essential service. Transfer stations in Valemount and Mackenzie have also been deemed essential, with set operational hours for the remainder of the strike.In Prince George, the Foothills Boulevard Regional Landfill, which accepts curbside garbage picked up by the city, will be operating Tuesday to Saturday, prompting the city to adjust its collection schedule, with Monday pickups now set to take place Saturdays. (Facebook/City of Prince George)Daniel Burke, president of CUPE 1699, said the more than 100 workers employed by the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George are seeking wage increases that would bring them in line with other municipal workers in the region.Moving forward, he said, members will engage in rotating job action — which includes not collecting fees at recreation facilities, landfills and transfer stations — with changes implemented daily.Job action, Burke said, is a “last resort” and members feel they aren’t being treated respectfully by the regional district. The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George said it has engaged in good faith and proposed mediation to settle the dispute, but was rejected.In a statement, it said it is disappointed that the union has resorted to job action without a clear sense of which services will be impacted on a given day.With files from Hanna Petersen
Landfill access deemed essential as labour dispute hits Prince George, B.C.
