The end of the penny means a big donation for United Way.
Burnaby city council recognized the de-circulation of the Canadian penny as of Feb. 4 and authorized staff to make a big round of penny collections from the city's receipting locations, which will be donated to Burnaby's annual United Way Campaign.
The council report by the finance and civic development committee states the collection will continue on until, "donations decrease in volume."
Effective Feb. 4, the Canadian government began the process of de-circulating the Canadian penny, and the city stopped handing out the penny in change at its recreation centres and other facilities.
The report recommended the city use the slogan, "Coins for a Cause," in conjunction with the city's United Way annual campaign.
City officials are also preparing policies and procedures for the business and operational change, utilizing guidelines provided by the 2012 Federal Action Plan for merchants and customers in Canada. This could see the rounding of cash transactions to the next denomination, the nickle.
Staff members are expected to report to council annually on the amount of pennies donated.
Councillors Sav Dhaliwal and Nick Volkow voted against the motion of eliminating the use of pennies, but not the donation to charity.
editorial@ burnabynow.com
