Spoiled food: City of Ottawa adds more disposal bins
The city of Ottawa is setting up bins in areas hardest-hit by the storm for residents to dispose of spoiled food, and will also conduct a blitz to collect organic waste at people's homes.
Power has been out for hundreds of thousands of people in Ottawa for more than two full days, and spoiled food is becoming a health and safety hazard.
With so much spoilage, the city is setting up disposal bins to collect food waste in the hardest hit parts of the city. There were originally four, but the city has added two more.
Bins are now in place in the following locations:
- Navan Memorial Centre at 1295 Colonial Rd.
- CARDELREC Recreation Complex Goulbourn at 1500 Shea Rd.
- Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre at 3320 Paul Anka Dr.
- Howard Darwin Centennial Arena at 1765 Merivale Rd.
- Walter Baker Sports Centre at 100 Malvern Dr.
- Minto Recreation Complex at 3500 Cambrian Rd.
- Osgoode Community Centre at 5662 Osgoode Main St.
- Orléans Library at 1705 Orléans Blvd.
- Lincoln Fields at 1338 Richmond Rd.
“In the neighbourhoods most affected by the storm, the city will carry out a green bin collection blitz over the next few days to ensure organic waste is collected as soon as possible,” said Alain Gonthier, the city's public works manager.
Gonthier is asking residents to dispose of as much of their organic waste in green bins as possible. Regular garbage and recycling collection will continue as scheduled this week, delayed by one day because of the Victoria Day holiday.
The city also says the tipping fee at the Trail Road landfill is being waived for residents with storm-related damage.Officials estimate it could be two to four days before power is fully restored, as neighbourhoods across Ottawa were affected.
Mayor Jim Watson said Monday that the city offers some support for residents whose food has gone bad because of the power outage.
“If you were affected by the storm and need help, you can apply for financial assistance through the city of Ottawa,” Watson told a media conference Monday. “This includes money for food replacement and, in exceptional circumstances, help with medication, medical supplies or personal care.”
Not all residents will be eligible for assistance. The aid is through Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, and is meant for those who don't have enough money for food and housing, have a disability or are in financial need.
Watson says residents can fill out an application form online or call 3-1-1 and dial 4.
GREEN BIN BLITZ
The city will carry out a green bin blitz in four wards over the next few days to collect organic waste from the hardest hit areas. Priority is being given to most of Stittsville, all communities in Ward 9 (Knoxdale-Merivale) that have lost power, the Riverside Park and Mooney's Bay area of Ward 16 (River) and the villages of Navan, Cumberland, and Sarsfield in Ward 19 (Cumberland).
The city says if your green bin isn't collected by day's end, take it in at night and put it back out the next morning.
WHAT TO DO WITH SPOILED FOOD
Ottawa Public Health says when it comes to food safety, “When in doubt, throw it out!”
The health unit says food in refrigerators will usually last for about four to six hours, so long as the door is kept shut. You can extend the life of perishable items in refrigerators by using bags of ice, but if it’s been more than eight hours and you’ve been unable to keep the fridge below 4 C, all hazardous food items, such as meat, seafood, dairy products, processed or cut fruits and vegetables (salads), and things like cooked rice and pasta, should be thrown out.
Food in the freezer will fare a little better, but time is running out for frozen goods as well.
OPH says bacteria will not grow on frozen food. If kept closed, a full upright or chest freezer will keep food frozen for up to 48 hours during a power failure and a half-full freezer will keep the food frozen for about 24 hours.
“If you know that a power failure will last for a long period of time, transport the food to a friend’s or family member’s freezer if possible,” the health unit recommends.
You should throw out any thawed hazardous food items that have remained at room temperature for two or more hours, as well as any food that has an obvious strange colour or odour. If anything has dripped onto the food, like juices from other items, throw that out too.
Food that still contains ice crystals or feels refrigerator-cold can be re-frozen. The quality may change, however the food is still safe, OPH says.
Dry goods should remain above the floor so as not to attract pests.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From essential goods to common stocking stuffers, Trudeau offering Canadians temporary tax relief
Canadians will soon receive a temporary tax break on several items, along with a one-time $250 rebate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
'It didn't sound good': Mother shares what her sons went through with walking pneumonia
A mother shares with CTVNews.ca her family's health scare as medical experts say cases of the disease and other respiratory illnesses have surged, filling up emergency departments nationwide.
BREAKING Matt Gaetz drops bid for Trump attorney general in face of U.S. Senate opposition
Hardline Republican Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration as U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's attorney general, in the face of opposition from the Senate Republicans whose support he would have needed to win the job.
Mother charged after infant dies in midtown Toronto: police
The mother of an infant who died after being found at an apartment building in midtown Toronto on Wednesday has been charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life.
Here's a list of items that will be GST/HST-free over the holidays
Canadians won’t have to pay GST on a selection of items this holiday season, the prime minister vowed on Thursday.
Manitoba RCMP issue Canada-wide warrant for Ontario semi-driver charged in deadly crash
Manitoba RCMP have issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for the semi-driver involved in a crash that killed an eight-year-old girl and her mother.
2 arrested during Greenpeace protest outside Stornoway residence in Ottawa
Two people have been arrested following a protest outside Stornoway, the official residence of Canada's leader of the Opposition.
Arrest warrant issued for suspect charged in Toronto airport gold heist
Peel police say a bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of one of the suspects charged in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
'This is cold': P.E.I. mother upset over decision to remove late daughter's photos from school memorial wall
A high school on Prince Edward Island is removing pictures of its late students from a memorial wall – a decision that has upset one mother whose daughter attended the school.