SASKATOON -- SARCAN Recycling is shutting down its Broadway location to make way for a larger facility on Jasper Avenue.

It’s a decision that’s been years in the making. The facility on Broadway Avenue has been open since 1992 and is the biggest location in the province in terms of container volume.

Kevin Acton, director of operations at SARCAN Recycling, says it takes in almost 30 million containers a year.

“We just don’t have enough room to take care of the customers and staff and the volume of material,” Acton told CTV News.

The new depot at 2900 Jasper Avenue is located in a more industrial area instead of the residential area at the former Broadway location.

It’s something not everyone agrees with.

Marvin Ankrah has been bringing recycling to the Broadway location for seven years and lives close to the depot.

He says the residential depot is more convenient for people who are homeless and don’t have vehicles, and that it’s better for the environment.

“From a personal perspective…it’s not the best decision to make,” Ankrah said.

Whatmore Muchenje says he’s shocked at the location change.

“They’re moving away from people, and people will have to travel all the way to Jasper. That’s an extra cost.”

Acton said the commercial area will be better for trucks because the other location was near a school.

He said he’s been working with Saskatoon Transit since last fall to ensure routes will go by the new location for people who don’t have cars.

“There’s route 20, which runs on Melville Street down here and they put on an additional run in the morning and an additional run in the evening on that route for us,” Acton said.

Route 1 also comes to the area every 30 minutes.

“There’s plusses and minuses any time you move, you got some people going to be closer, some people going to be further and that’s just the unfortunate part of it.”

The new location will be double the size, have sliding doors for customers, 30 parking spots, a new Drop & Go area and conveyor systems.

The last day of operations at SARCAN’s Broadway location will be Apr. 19 and the Jasper location will be open on April 22, which also happens to be Earth Day.