St. John’s, NL (May 21, 2025) – Yesterday in the House of Assembly, Loyola O’Driscoll, Progressive Conservative MHA for Ferryland, challenged the Liberal government over a controversial access card policy introduced by the Eastern Regional Service Board (ERSB) for all waste recovery facilities in the Eastern region.

The policy, which took effect on April 1, 2025, requires users to apply for and present an access card to enter any ERSB-operated waste recovery site. However, the rollout has been plagued by delays and confusion. O’Driscoll raised concerns that residents are being turned away while others are waiting several months for their cards to arrive.

“This policy depends on people having printers, scanners, email access, and the ability to upload documents—but many residents, especially seniors and those in rural areas, don’t have access to that technology,” said O’Driscoll. “They’re showing up at facilities only to be turned away. Some have waited months for their cards to arrive. Others have become so frustrated with the process that they’ve abandoned it altogether. It’s completely unacceptable.”

O’Driscoll also pointed to Newfoundland and Labrador’s national reputation for excessive red tape.

“At a time when our province already ranks worst in the country for red tape, this government is doubling down with even more bureaucracy,” said O’Driscoll. “We should be reducing barriers to essential services—not adding new ones that make it harder to keep our communities clean.”

When questioned in the House of Assembly, Environment Minister Scott Reid fell short on a key issue in his portfolio by failing to provide a clear stance on the policy, instead saying he would take the matter under advisement.

“Over the last 10 years of Liberal government, we’ve seen multiple Environment Ministers come and go,” said O’Driscoll. “It’s time for someone to step up and deal with the real issues facing people in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. These access cards are a perfect example of how this Liberal government keeps missing the mark.”

O’Driscoll and the Progressive Conservatives are calling on the Liberal government to direct the ERSB to scrap the access card policy and develop a more practical, inclusive approach that helps build cleaner and safer communities for all of us.