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Visit us online at www.waterloochronicle.ca ® Chronicle.WATERLOO $1.00 CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA ® Chronicle.WATERLOO $1.00 CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY WATERLOOCHRONICLE.CA THURSDAY JANUARY 26, 2017 Illegal dumping crackdown Region looking to toughen illegal dumping law in time for changes By Samantha Beattie Chronicle Staff Illegal dumpers could soon face an immediate penalty when they're caught throwing out trash on other people's properties or along roadsides. At a Jan. 24 meeting, Region of Waterloo's planning and works committee voted to apply to the province to impose a minimum fine for illegal dumping. Illegal dumping includes depositing waste on any private or public property within the region without the authority of the owner or at the entrance or around the perimetre of waste facilities. Coun. George Lorentz raised the concern in light of upcoming changes in waste collection from every week to every two weeks. Dumping enforcement and immediate pen- alties are more important than before. "Some people are concerned garbage is not being collect- ed every week," Lorentz said. "They're looking at an alterna- tive like dumping in a commercial dumpster or on someone else's property. We can't have the same old same old rules, at least in the beginning." Currently there's only a maximum fine of $5,000 and the penalty is left to the discretion of the justice of the peace at provincial offences court. By having a minimum fine, of say $500, the region gives those receiving tickets the option to pay them and avoid court. At the same time, Lorentz hopes it prevents illegal dumping. "For every action there's a reaction," said Lorentz. "There has to be some kind of incentive to not dump. We have to have some kind of minimum standard." It's like speeding, he said. Drivers don't just get tickets for going 50 kilometres over the limit, but also for 30, 20 and even 10 km over. The same approach should apply to dumping. While it will be two to three months before the minimum fine is approved, the waste bylaw will be effective as of Mar. 6 and bylaw officers can write violators a ticket summoning them to court. Continued on page 11 AdAm JAckson photo Playing with clay Blair Bohnert, 5, creates a masterpiece with her mom Brooke at the clay and Glass Gallery's play with clay event on sunday. participants got to sculpt an object, which was fired in a kiln at the end of the class. We are Waterloo portrait project reveals city's modern face Page 13 CITY LIFE Vincenzo's celebrates 50 years of serving up great tastes to the community Page 16 BUSINESS