To the Editor,
Here is a question for residents of the Township of Muskoka Lakes: if someone dumps their garbage into your roadside bear bin, who is responsible?
In my case, I was told it is my responsibility to remove and dispose of it — even though I did not put it there. I was also told there is no bylaw preventing someone from placing garbage in a private resident’s bin.
Yet I was warned that if I were to dump garbage on municipal property, I would be charged.
So apparently dumping on municipal property is an offence, but dumping on a resident’s private property is not?
As a senior, I cannot safely reach into the bottom of a bear-resistant bin to remove heavy or unknown garbage. Nor should any resident have to transport someone else’s waste in their vehicle.
Garbage collection falls under the District Municipality of Muskoka. There should be a clear process to address illegal dumping that does not place the burden entirely on residents — especially those who may not be physically able to manage it.
This is a community issue. If it can happen to one resident, it can happen to anyone.
Barbara Boyer
Muskoka Lakes
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Another one. Will the district reverse its green scam policies??