OTTAWA -- Garbage and recycling collection will be delayed in several parts of the city by one day for the rest of this week after two waste collection employees came into contact with someone who has COVID-19.

Director of Solid Waste Services Shelley McDonald said two operators at Miller Waste Ottawa were in contact with a person that tested positive for the virus.

The operators are now in 14-day self-isolation.

“As a responsible and precautionary measure to protect their staff, Miller has suspended operations for one-day to complete an assessment of all employees,” said McDonald in the statement.

The City says vehicles and the staff facility are disinfected daily and staff have been following all personal protective protocols put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ottawa Public Health has assessed the risk to customers as being very low.

According to the City of Ottawa, waste collection in Zones 2 and 4 is delayed by one day. Residents are encouraged to check the City's online calendar to see if their collection date has been moved.

In an update, sent Tuesday afternoon, the City said the following areas, which were scheduled to have garbage collection on Monday, are having their waste collected Tuesday: Alta Vista, Elmvale Acres, Playfair Park, Ridgemont, Rideauview, Fisher Glen, Ashdale, Merivale and Pineglen.

Several more areas will continue to see a delay through the rest of the week.

 

Tuesday's collection in the following areas will be rescheduled for Wednesday:

  • Barrhaven – in the area bordered by Fallowfield to the north, Prince of Wales Drive to the east, Rideau Valley Drive to the south, and Longfield Drive and Jockvale Road to the west.
  • Overbrook, Hunt Club and South Ottawa – in area bordered by Tremblay Road to the north, Highway 417 to east, and Walkley Road, Conroy Road and Bank Street South to the west, and Marionville Road to the south.

The following areas will have their collection day moved from Wednesday to Thursday:

  • Ottawa West (Pinecrest, Craig Henry, Algonquin College area and Nepean Sportsplex) – in the area bordered by the Highway 417 to the north, Greenbank Road and Woodroffe Avenue to the west, Merivale to the east, and West Hunt Club Drive and Fallowfield Road to the south.
  • Hunt Club and South Keys – in the area bordered Riverside Drive to the west, Hunt Club Drive to the south, Walkley to the north, and Conroy Road to the east.

These areas will have their collection day moved from Thursday to Friday:

  • Pinecrest to Barrhaven – in the area bordered by Highway 417 to the north, Highway 416 to the west, Greenbank Road to the east, and Strandherd Drive to the south.
  • Barrhaven – in the area bordered by Jockvale Road to the north, Longfields Drive to the east, Greenbank to the west, and Barnsdale Road to the south.
  • Gloucester South, Findlay Creek and Blossom Park – in the area bordered by Hunt Road Club Road to the north, Conroy Road and Bank Street South to the east, River Road to the West, and Mitch Owens Road to the south. 

And residents in these areas will have their collection day moved from Friday to Saturday:

  • Richmond area – in the area bordered by Fallowfield Road to the north, Highway 416 to the east, Ashton and Montague Boundary roads to west, and Donnelly Drive to the south.
  • Manotick and Greely area - in the area bordered by Barnsdale and Mitch Owens roads to the north, Bank Street South to the east, Belmeade Road to the south, and Highway 416 to the west.

The City says the following wards will continue to have waste pickup at their regular times.

  • Ward 1 - Orléans
  • Ward 2 - Innes
  • Ward 12 - Rideau Vanier
  • Ward 13 - Rideau Rockcliffe
  • Ward 14 - Somerset
  • Ward 15 - Kitchissippi

Limited issues are anticipated in Kanata North, West Carleton-March and Bay wards.

 

 

Correction:

A previous version of this article quoted Emergency and Protective Services General Manager Anthony Di Monte, who told reporters that that a Miller Waste employee had tested positive. Mr. Di Monte was incorrect. The City later clarified to say no employees of the waste collection company have tested positive but two had come into contact with someone who did. 

The article has since been corrected to make that information clearer.