I'm wondering if Halifax Regional Council could add door-to-door sales people in their proposed By-law regulating flyer delivery? I don't appreciate having either come to the house.
The council agreed last week they need a new bylaw to control the delivery of flyers in the municipality and have tasked the staff with coming up with something that will establish “standards” for any such deliveries.
Several councillors have spoken of the need for the bylaw citing environmental concerns and the costs of recycling all that paper which no one wants. One councillor suggested that the vast majority of people don't even look at the flyers, preferring instead to drop them directly into the recycling bin after picking them up at the end of the driveway.
As one who has sent more than one bundle of flyers shooting out the chute of a snowblower, I know what a nuisance they can be, and I admit I am one of those who does not even look at them for the most part. But it is not the municipality's job to ban them!
My opening question about including door-to-door salespeople was of course a rhetorical one. Council would never, and could never consider such a thing because they would be accused of interfering with the livelihood of these individuals. It should be no different with the flyer delivery person.
Most flyers are delivered by a person who contracts with the distributor to circulate them in a specific area. These distributors are usually private companies. They do not work for the municipality and therefore the municipality should not have any part in regulating their operations.
If I don't want to receive flyers, I can always contact the distributor and tell them not to leave them at my place anymore. There is no need for the municipality to get involved and create an unnecessary bylaw.
Frank Likely is a retired Anglican minister and past president of the Springhill and Area Chamber of Commerce.