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Among poll respondents, support for a mandatory program, which would see green compost bins collected like blue recycling bins, was highest among people aged 18 to 34. Fifty-one per cent of respondents in that age bracket said they support a mandatory program.

The poll is expected to be accurate within 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Despite the large number of people who support a mandatory program, David Valentin, executive vice-president of Mainstreet Research, said mayoral candidates should be careful about endorsing it.

“Mayoral candidates have to be nuanced on this issue. That’s still a significant split,” he said.

Candidates Don Atchison and Kelley Moore both say they support a mandatory program. Candidate Charlie Clark said green bins should be made more accessible to people, but that a mandatory program is not the answer.

Atchison said he has been a lifelong composter and believes a mandatory program would help the city reduce demand on the landfill, eliminating the need for a new one. However, he would like to see an estimate of the cost of such a program and an overview of possible health and safety concerns that could arise before forging ahead on it, he said.

“Am I in favour of a composting program? Absolutely yes,” Atchison said.

Moore said she fully supports a mandatory curbside program that would be similar to the city’s blue cart recycling program. She noted that Saskatoon is one of only three Canadian cities with a population over 150,000 that doesn’t have a mandatory program.