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2021 NEWSMAKERS: Garbage carts roll into this year's top stories

County of Simcoe’s controversial new automated waste cart system dominated discussion over fences, in our comment sections and over local social media in 2021
Garbagebin
File photo

A new County of Simcoe-wide waste contract made waves in Innisfil and beyond in 2021.

The controversial new automated curbside waste collection contract with Miller Waste went into effect on Nov. 1.

A sticking point for many residents was the county’s choice to run with a one-size-fits-all approach, which saw the county obtain 240-litre garbage carts, 360-litre recycling carts and 120-litre organics carts for all property owners across Simcoe County. The approach brought forward issues of the size being too small for some property owners, and too large for others, as well as concerns around accessibility.

In June of 2020, county council approved the move to the new automated cart collection system through a possible $31.5-million contract to be implemented in late 2021. The collection contract was awarded to Miller Waste Services.

After negotiations at that time, Willma Bureau, the county's contracts and collections supervisor, clarified that the costs were estimated to come in at 28 per cent less than budgeted.

In November 2020, county council voted in favour of choosing Rehrig Pacific to manufacture the carts.

At that time, multiple councillors raised concerns such as the size of the bins, how people living in townhouses were supposed to fit the bins in small spaces, how residents in rural areas were supposed to drag larger bins, how disposal of old bins would be taking place, how the county would be providing repairs to broken bins and how locking mechanisms would work to keep out animals.

In April, county councillors gave approval to proceed with a waste collection pilot project in New Tecumseth, which would see condo owners in Green Briar/Briar Hill being given an option for a smaller cart size.

This summer, when all residents received mailers from the County of Simcoe regarding the new system, many started voicing similar concerns, some asking for smaller cart options. In Collingwood, a petition was started in July by residents of the Blue Fairway subdivision asking for smaller cart options and was sent to Warden George Cornell.

Shortly afterward, a petition started by Collingwood resident Dave Dickson made the rounds on multiple community Facebook groups from Collingwood, to Wasaga Beach, to Essa Township and beyond in a grassroots effort to push for alternate bin sizing options for automated waste collection, and was also sent to Warden Cornell. That petition hit about 2,900 signatures.

Collingwood’s Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) also raised concerns that the new bins would create issues of accessibility, cleaning and snow removal in many downtown spaces.

And the voices of residents and local businesses were heard.

At a special workshop held on Oct. 26, county council voted in favour of pivoting direction and allowing alternate size options.

Some concerns still remain regarding accessibility of the carts.

Orders for differently sized carts will be able to be placed with the county starting mid-January, with rollout of exchanges expected to start in February.

Requested cart exchanges will be processed free of charge up until July 2022. If a home changes ownership, an initial cart exchange will also be free of charge. However, after July 2022, cart size exchanges will cost $50 per bin exchanged, and will be limited to once-per-year exchanges.

“We are not a one-size-fits-all county,” said Bradford West Gwillimbury deputy mayor James Leduc at the Oct. 26 special council workshop. “I like to say we’re one Simcoe County with 16 different neighbourhoods. We need to look at this from that point of view from now on.”


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Jessica Owen

About the Author: Jessica Owen

Jessica Owen is an experienced journalist working for Village Media since 2018, primarily covering Collingwood and education.
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