Chilliwack – Shopping Carts.
The mode of transport for many homeless and are always found in alleys, ditches, roadsides and parks.
The eyesore is also an environment concern for the city, and an expensive clean up.
The council meeting for the City of Chilliwack (November 15) will put focus on store owners to take more responsibility of maintaining and tracking those carts.
As Mayor Popove and Councilors Kloot and Mercer reiterated, this was not a quick fix idea. This was in consideration for month into the pandemic however COVID did stall the process. Shopping carts were also being dumped on School Property and the School Board as well as RCMP expressed major concern over the issue.
When the City asked businesses to respond to upgrades ( at their expense) as well as fines, not one business responded to the City request for a reply. That did not sit well with Popove, Kloot and Mercer as they all expressed their disappointment with the lack of response.
Mayor Popove asked for a status report from City Staff in six months.
The proposal for three readings is for merchants to have a shopping cart management plan that includes stickers to show who owns the cart as well as anti theft systems including coin lock as an option.
City crews retrieve their fare share of carts which cost the taxpayer approximately $50 per cart (taking into account manpower).
The City’s YouTube Channel is here.
