Garbage collection could become more frequent in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve if Projet Montréal is re-elected, after residents complained about overflowing bins, foul odours and rodents under the current biweekly schedule. The borough switched to biweekly pickups in November as part of Projet Montréal’s broader goal to become a zero-waste city by 2030. “When you pass up and down the street, the odour is terrible and it’s not good,” said one resident. At a press conference Sunday, the party said it would restore weekly garbage collection, but only between June and September. “Our project works well. We have a waste reduction. People recycle more. They compost more. But we have some issues, especially during the summer,” said Projet Montréal Leader Luc Rabouin. Alia Hassan-Cournol, who is running for mayor of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, said residents told the party they support the policy but felt it was implemented too quickly. For Anastasia Ovanesyan of the community advocacy group Ligue 33, Sunday’s announcement was a victory. She said the group has been pushing the city to increase collection for years. “Because you go outside and it’s dirty, your neighbourhood is dirty because of these politicians,” she said. Garbage collection has become a hot-button issue in the municipal election. Several weeks ago, Ensemble Montréal pledged to bring back weekly pickups between May and October. In a statement Sunday, Ensemble Montréal Leader Soraya Martinez Ferrada accused Projet Montréal of copying their plan.
