June 16, 2026
Hi RMWB Members,
We are working on scheduling a RMWB unit Meeting for next week, you will receive a notification in the coming days.
We are scheduled for Collective Bargaining Mediation (June 22 and 23, 2026) Monday and Tuesday of next week, we are hoping to make some meaningful progress during those meetings.
We want to address some ongoing and concerning behavior by the RMWB regarding the loss of the recycling program within Environmental Services.
We initially sent you all an update on this matter on November 17, 2025 based on the most current information the Union had regarding the dishonesty of the RMWB which can be viewed HERE. The attachments were sent to the Director of HR and ICAO Jody Butz with no response.
In March 2026, we discussed this with the new CAO Andrew Boutilier. On March 23, 2026 an email with supporting evidence in the attachment was sent to the current CAO which can be viewed HERE, with no response.
On May 12, 2026, during a public council meeting (HERE), we found out that the information provided to the Union and Public prior was more troubling than expected and the RMWB handed over the contracts willingly and voluntarily.
In turn, the Union filed a grievance. In a desperate and ill-fated attempt, the RMWB issues a 120 day notice, after the fact, to try and misrepresent compliance with Appendix J of the Collective Agreement. The RMWB refused to withdraw from the contract, all correspondence can be viewed HERE.
While Environmental Director Antoine Rempp claims that this outsourcing will save the RMWB $1.4 Million per year, there is no logical or material evidence of this produced either to the Union or publicly. In fact, this is completely contradicting to his other statements that he made internally and/or publicly that there will be no reduction to residential utility fees and the increase in disposal fees (from $11-$15) at the scales is the result of loss of revenue of recycling.
If there was a significant saving (1.4 million), that would reasonably result in a public reduction instead of an increase. Even looking at this in its simplest form is confusing and troubling.
- Residents will continue paying the RMWB for a service that the RMWB is no longer providing.
- The RMWB is now charging additional landfill dropoff fees as a result of the loss in revenue caused by the RMWB no longer providing the recycling services.
- The RMWB Residents will suffer an increase in costs of product as the producers will include the costs of recycling into their products, therefor the residents will be paying both the RMWB and producer for recycling services despite the RMWB not providing such service.
The CAO, Mayor and Council are all well aware of these discrepancies and the misconduct of Administration as it was sent to them all on June 2, 2026, which can be viewed HERE. To date, not a single one of them has reached out, communicated or provided any explanation, and pretend this does not exist which seems to be par for the course. As mentioned in the CBC Article (HERE) the Union continues to struggle with accountability of RMWB Administration.
We are also aware that no RMWB Bargaining Unit Member has been paid the damages awarded regarding the “Canadian Union of Public Employees. Local 1505 v Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, 2026 CanLII 40172 (AB GAA)” (Henry Hunter Arbitration) and we continue to pursue this. It is further disappointing, there hasn’t been any apology, remorse, statement or accountability for the actions of the RMWB or HR in that matter.
We will continue the fight, the Employer wants us to sit back while they blatantly violate our Collective Agreement and accept no accountability for doing so!
In Solidarity
Craig Milley
President CUPE Local 1505
Nikki Peddle
VP CUPE Local 1505.