The very visible Clean Up campaign held throughout the town held in May was aimed at encouraging residents of Kitimat and Kitamaat Village to clean up after the winter season.
District of Kitimat Director of Economic Development Michael Dewar said the multiple agencies involved in the campaign were also out to raise awareness about safely securing loads in vehicles, not littering, and picking up litter and pet excrement.
“The campaign was intended to make our communities safer, cleaner, and to preserve our natural environments,” said Dewar.
During the campaign, awareness was raised using a variety of traditional and social media outlets, as well as a banner advertising the campaign hung on the Haisla Hill overpass. “The public’s response was positive due to the positive nature of the campaign, which reminded residents in both communities of the little things we can do to keep our communities safe, clean, and help preserve our natural environments,” said Dewar.
He added that people were generally accepting of the information being distributed and of the slight delays caused by road-side checks.
“The RCMP was able to hand-out positive reinforcements rather than tickets, which gets people excited,”
added Dewar.
He said the campaign had been very successful in raising awareness among Kitimat residents of the benefits of living in a safer, cleaner and more sustainable community.