The City of Burnaby is asking organizations to remove their clothing donation bins from private property in the city, following the death of a man in such a bin in West Vancouver last month.
At least seven people have died in Canadian donation bins since 2015. The latest known tragedy came on New Year’s Eve, when a 34-year-old Vancouver man was found stuck in the opening of a bin near Ambleside Park.
The District of West Vancouver sealed donation bins in that city and said it was looking at options to make them safer or remove them altogether.
Last week, Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley said the city was considering its own approach to the bins.
“It’s certainly concerning and something that we will have staff look at right away,” Hurley said at the time. “And if we need to shut down the bins until the needed changes are made, then we will do that.”
On Monday, city manager Lambert Chu said the city was in the process of sending letters to organizations with bins on private property, asking they be removed “until better safety measures are in place.”
He said the city stopped allowing the bins on city property “about a year ago.”
But bins from the Salvation Army, BC Children’s Hospital and Diabetes Canada will remain at the city’s Eco-Centre on Still Creek Avenue, Chu said in an email.
“These bins have a mailbox chute style opening which is different from the style used in West Vancouver,” Chu said. “These bins are located in a fully staffed and fenced site, and additional safety procedures have been instituted to inspect the bins and to heighten safety concerns.”
