Kat Slorstad from Fort St. James is the community builder for the month. This is the second time she has been featured in this section of the Caledonia Courier’s monthly piece.
Slorstad is instrumental in the recent incorporation of the Stuart Lake Recycling Co-op in Fort St. James. She has been working for the past 10 years towards providing more recycling opportunities and says it hasn’t been an easy ride.
“There isn’t money to be made in recycling right now so to be able to create a non-profit community service Co-op where we can take advantage of funding opportunities and recycling options is a win-win!”
Slorstad said the Co-op has been created by “the commercial, industrial and institutional business owners and representatives of Fort St. James to ensure that we can recycle our cardboard and paper waste in a sustainable manner.”
Stuart Lake Recycling Co-op will be contracting Imperative Recycling, run by Slorstad, to carry out the Management and Operations at the Integris Recycling Centre.
“We are proud to be reopening the Integris Recycling Centre,” Slorstad said.
“There will be one part time employee who will bale the material for shipment. As a non-profit organization, we will always be appreciative of volunteers!”
The Co-op will be a non-profit community service that will operate on a cost recovery basis, she said, adding, that the model will offer the lowest price possible to it’s members.
Any profits made will be put back into green initiatives in the community, she said.
The Co-op was incorporated as a non-profit community service on June 19. As soon as Slorstad received the certificate of incorporation, stakeholders set the date for the first Annual General Meeting which was held Aug 5.
Eight Board of Directors were voted in, with Slorstad being voted in as President.
“We had our first meeting with the Fort St. James District staff yesterday (Aug 21) regarding agreement terms for our contract with them to lease the Integris Recycling Centre,” she said, adding that directors are hoping for the Integris Recycling Centre to be open by Oct. 1, but she said it all depends “on how quickly things can move forward.”
Currently, the co-op offers a “self-serve” drop-off service at the Integris Recycling Centre for IC&I cardboard and mixed paper for a service fee.
There is a $1 refundable membership fee as well as a non-refundable one-time joining fee of $100.
Slorstad said the monthly service fee will be based on volume produced by each business.
“Our goal for the future would be to develop other services and fundraise for new green projects here in Fort St. James with the possibility for expansion of the Co-op elsewhere.”
Curbside service is still available through Imperative Recycling for those who do not wish to drop their recycling off themselves.
For Slorstad, education is the most important piece when trying to run a successful recycling program.
“There has always been a level of confusion in this town on “what’s what” with recycling. We are hoping to have clear instructions to our members as well as educate the public further on the ins and outs. This building is strictly for commercial, industrial and institutional cardboard and paper. Residential recycling has to go out to the transfer station Recycle BC Depot.”
Slorstad said a lot of volunteer hours were put into the creation of the Co-op. Members working towards the Co-op worked alongside Cooperatives First based out of Saskatoon, Sask. to create their bylaws and memorandum.
“I have no prior experience with Co-ops so there was a lot of research involved in the early stages to see if this was the right fit for this. I am so appreciative of the support from the community and am very excited to have an amazing board of directors to bounce ideas off of and learn from and to see where this venture goes!”
Slorstad said the co-op is a community project and should be treated as such.
“If other community members want to help, please take the time to get educated on what the recycling options are in Fort St. James. We will also accept donations and would love volunteers to help with this project,” she said.
The Courier asked her what keeps her going through her 10 years of working towards recycling options, and Slorstad said, “Other than the obvious things like needing to make a living for my family and having a passion for recycling, I’d say my stubbornness is what keeps me going.”