The Solid Waste Management Strategy (Strategy) provides the County of Simcoe (County) with a framework of short- and long-term waste management initiatives. County Council originally approved the Strategy in 2010, however, the Strategy is regularly updated to ensure all recommendations and actions remain relevant to the County’s waste management needs.
The most recent Strategy update was in 2023 which reviewed the current state of the County’s waste system and considered new regulations that have and will impact waste management in Ontario. Fifteen initiatives were recommended in this most recent update and staff will evaluate each option ahead of it being brought forward to Council, to determine how to proceed.
You can find the complete Solid Waste Management update here and can read through each of the following to learn more about the initiatives and the progress that has been made.
Currently (2024), the County’s special collections includes the curbside collection of Christmas trees, textiles, electronics and leaf & yard waste, at various times throughout the year. Staff are to review the feasibility of collecting more or less items curbside and to consider adjusting the collection frequency of existing programs.
Status: Ongoing.
Committee of the Whole Item # CCW 2023-307 Special Collection – Options for Consideration was presented to Council on November 28, 2023. Council decided that the curbside collection of textiles and electronics would cease in 2025 and that textiles would be added to the existing bulky collection program (as outlined in the Item).
Staff are to obtain costing for varying service frequencies for the curbside collection of leaf and yard waste and report back to Council on how best to proceed, in 2024.
The Ontario government passed the Blue Box Regulation (O. Reg. 391/21) in 2021 and established that producers of paper products and plastic packaging (recycling) be responsible for the end-of-life management of such materials. Under this regulation, producers of recycling are responsible for setting up their own collection system by January 1, 2026, with a transition period for the County of Simcoe (County) from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025. The County is to negotiate with a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) acting on behalf of producers to set up a collection system.
Status: Complete.
Committee of the Whole Item # CCW 2023-196 Blue Box Transition and Collection Week Change was presented to Council on September 12, 2023. This Item outlined that the County signed an agreement with a PRO, Circular Materials Ontario (CMO), whereby the County will continue to provide recycling collection services on behalf of CMO during the transition period. As of January 1, 2026, the entire province will be transitioned to the new recycling system and the County will no longer be responsible for the curbside collection of recycling from residences.
The Blue Box Regulation (O Reg. 391/21) established that producers of recycling are responsible for the end-of-life management of products from “eligible” sources (residential locations, schools and non-profit long-term care homes/seniors residences). Producers are therefore not responsible for the management of recycling from the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) sector (ineligible sources), nor is this a municipal responsibility. County Council is to decide if recycling collection from these properties should continue past January 1 2026.
Status: Complete.
Committee of the Whole Item # CCW 2024-022 Recycling Services for Ineligible Sources was presented to Council on February 13, 2024. Council decided that as of January 1, 2026 ineligible sources within the County would not receive curbside collection of recycling by the County, but that County waste management facilities would continue to accept recycling from all sources (eligible and ineligible), at a fee.
It is staff’s belief that the producers of recycling should be responsible for managing all their materials regardless of the source of consumption, and that all property types should be deemed eligible under Regulation 391/21, provided they generate waste in quantities similar to a single residential unit. Staff will continue to engage with industry organizations, and advocate to the Province to amend regulations.
Currently, the County is not responsible for providing waste services to multi-residential buildings with 6 or more units. Understanding there can be limited diversion options for these buildings, due to lack of servicing options and lack of waste infrastructure, staff are to review the implementation of design guidelines (having enough space for collection trucks to turn, waste storage area design, etc.) that could help improve access to waste diversion programs.
Status: Ongoing
Committee of the Whole Item # CCW 2023-273 Multi-Residential Pilot Program was presented to Council on October 24, 2023. Through this Item, Council approved an 18-month pilot program for multi-residential organics. Through the pilot, approximately 9-12 buildings would be selected (~600 units) to participate, and the County would provide educational sessions and content for each unit, as well as organics collection services. Staff will report back to Council later in 2025 on the success of this program, and whether a County-wide program should be implemented.
Currently, the County provides curbside organics services to IC&I properties that generate waste in quantities similar to a single residential unit. This initiative would investigate if there are additional opportunities to capture organics from this sector, to reduce the amount of divertible waste sent to landfill.
Status: Update expected in 2025.
In over a decade, the County has done extremely well in diverting over 200,000 tonnes of organics through the curbside collection program. However, the curbside audit data still shows that our curbside garbage is comprised of over 40% organics, items that could have been diverted through the organics cart. Staff will be reviewing the feasibility of requiring residents to place out their organics cart every garbage collection day, to be eligible for garbage collection services. The intent being to encourage all residents to use their organics cart.
Status: Update expected in 2024.
Staff will review options for new and enhanced promotional and educational content that could focus on increased diversion of organics from landfill.
Status: Update expected in 2024.
Since 2010, the County has been working towards the development of the ERRC, that would house an organics processing facility, a materials management facility, and a public education centre.
Status: Completed.
Committee of the Whole Item # CCW 2024-055 Organics Management was presented to Council on February 27, 2024. This Item provided Council with updates on the technical and financial aspects of the project, but ultimately concluded that the best way forward for the County was to discontinue development of the ERRC at this time, and that staff instead award both short-term and long-term organics processing contracts.
Under the Hazardous and Special Products (HSP) Regulation (O. Reg. 449/21), Producer Responsible Organizations (PROs) are required to set up a network of collection sites and/or collection events to collection HHW, a service which is currently provided by the County. Staff are to evaluate the risks and costs of continuing to operate the County’s HHW depots, after the program transition to IPR.
Status: Complete.
Committee of the Whole Item # CCW 2023-082 Hazardous Waste Program Update was presented to Council on June 13, 2023. The Item outlined that while there would be costs to the County for the continued HHW depot operations, this would ensure the same levels of service were provided to residents, and that the County was able to provide a reliable and safe disposal method for HSP products. Council approved the continued budget be allocated to the operation of these facilities.
The County must pay to manage materials brought into waste management facilities. Staff are to review the total costs incurred from the management of these materials, and to determine if the current fees charged to waste management facility users, adequately covers the costs to manage these items.
Status: Completed.
Through the 2024 budgeting process, staff reviewed the current waste management facility fees and suggested adjustments to Council that would better cover the costs to manage these materials. Council approved fee adjustments that were implemented in March of 2024.
Staff will assess the current County waste management facility hours to ensure the most appropriate hours are assigned, considering resident access and satisfaction, as well as the operational impacts and costs of such hours.
Status: Update expected in 2026.
Staff are to review the possibility of relocating the current Matchedash waste management facility to the Medonte closed landfill site. This review should consider the increased space that would allow for leaf & yard waste drop-offs, composting operations, but also consider that the new site could allow for improved site access for residents.
Status: Update expected in 2024
To support continued growth of the County, an additional waste management facility will be needed. Staff are to complete an assessment on potential properties that could be purchased for future curbside waste transfer, public drop-off and leaf and yard waste management.
Status: Ongoing
Staff will review effective and innovative promotional and educational strategies that will improve public knowledge of the County’s waste programs, with a goal of increasing the County’s waste diversion.
Status: Completed
Starting in 2024, staff have budgeted for and released an updated promotional and educational campaign.
Depending on the nature of the disaster, waste collection and processing can be overwhelmed and the effects can be harmful to human health. Therefore, having a waste management plan for these scenarios is important. The County will develop a disaster debris management plan that can operate under various disaster scenarios such as act of nature, terrorism/war, government mandated shutdown, and/or border closures.
Status: Update expected in 2026.