HEDDY SOROUR

Identifying a gap and responding to a growing need, an innovative company in Mississippi Mills launched a compost service in Almonte two years ago and is now expanding that service to Carleton Place.

“It took off completely accidentally,” says, William Affleck, who with his wife Kelly Scott and son Atticus (age 5) started the company.

Affleck, a doctor of psychiatry and a university professor is currently on leave to administer the runaway business.

Since starting the operation, Just Good Compost has signed on 325 households, five restaurants and three schools in Almonte onto the program.

“That’s with no subsidy, but in Carleton Place the town is offering households a a huge incentive,” adds Affleck.

Carleton Place residents can get a $75 discount off the annual service, paid for by the town. Earlier this year town council set aside $25,000 and combined it with an $11,000 Lanark County Climate Action grant for a total of 36,000 to subsidize Carleton Place residents interested in signing up for the service.  

“This is a pilot project for Carleton Place.  At this point, Council has only committed to the $25,000 for 2024” explains Trisa McConkey, town treasurer.

Council heard about the service through the town’s Environmental Advisory Committee a year ago, and during 2024 budget deliberations decided to support the initiative. 

That means that up to 486 Carleton Place residents can sign up for the Good Compost Service for an annual fee of $199 rather than the $274 that Almonte residents pay.

“I’m glad we’re able to get that through and offer this service to some of our residents,” said Mayor Toby Randell, as the by-law authorizing the subsidy was passed.

The town does not have a landfill site or the facilities to create a composting program of its own. Although McConkey explains that the town does compost grass clippings within the public works department, but cannot scale that up to service the whole town.

So, Just Good Compost provides households with a refurbished plastic bucket to collect household compostable food scraps, then picks up the containers on a weekly basis, leaving behind a clean container.  The company then gets the scraps composted and in the spring hosts a Compost Day celebration where customer can collect finished compost for their gardens.

“The compost is included in the price of the service, but if people don’t want it, they can donate their share to local charities such as the youth centre or community gardens,” explains Affleck.

The program was initially designed as a mental health intervention for those suffering from serious mental illness.

“One of the things that happens with people with mental illnesses is they become isolated — in most cases it’s not the symptoms of mental health that cause the most distress, rather it’s the social isolation that’s the biggest challenge,” says Affleck.

While living in Montreal, Affleck observed a local gentleman operating a small scale compost service off the back of his bicycle for residents in his neighbourhood.

“I realized it was a great way to get people out of the basement, give them a purpose, physical exercise, friendship, and an income, all the things that are essential to recovery ,” said Affleck.  

After completing his studies, Affleck, originally from Almonte,  returned to his hometown and figured that a similar service might take off in the town’s urban core urban core and employ vulnerable individuals.

“We approached Lanark County Support Services (LCSS) , in Almonte, Perth and Carleton Place as well as Connect Well (CW) in Carleton Place. They work with the developmentally delayed. We are now employing 21 people from those organizations,” says Affleck.

The program he’s created is so popular with the individuals LCSS and CW serve that they’re lining up to get hired.

“They love it because, the work is low stress, they don’t have to work full time, and we pay them all minimum wage,” explains Affleck.

The program is just now launching in Carleton Place and residents can sign up for the weekly service on the Just Good Compost website directly at www.justgoodcompost.com.  Once they sign up, Just Good Compost will be in touch.  The arrangement with the town means residents don’t have to worry about submitting forms or receipts, they’ll simply get the discount directly at Just Good Compost.