City of Lethbridge offers $500 prizes in organic waste collection program

Lethbridge homeowners who use their green carts properly and complete a number of tasks with them during the rollout have a chance to win $500 or a prize pack.

Lethbridge residents are now being offered organic waste collection at their homes and the city is holding a contest to promote the idea.

Starting Tuesday, residents will be asked to complete a set of tasks related to their new green carts.

Once those are completed, they'll have to submit proof of completion through the 311 chat function on the city's website.

Winners will receive one of four weekly prizes or one of 10 $500 gift cards to use at a local business of their choice.

Officials say the contest is meant to help engage and support residents as Lethbridge embarks on the new green cart program.

"It's just getting that conversation started; the understanding of where to begin and the processes," said Cyndi Bester with Lethbridge's Chamber of Commerce. "This is such a great start in getting those conversations going in a positive way."

The tasks residents will be asked to perform are pretty simple, the city says.

"There'll be the opportunity to show us where you've placed your pail and what you've put in it," said Steve Rozee, Lethbridge's waste and environment processing manager. "Another will be labelling your cart with your address and showing us you've done that or having your cart placed out for collections.

"It's not terribly onerous tasks like climbing a mountain or anything."

The contest came as a partnership between the Chamber of Commerce and Lethbridge's downtown business revitalization zone.