Your waste program at home may be different than at your cottage. For instructions on how to use your carts, click on the buttons below:
Know Your Zone
Due to Provincial changes in recycling, new collection zones have been implemented. Click here to view your schedule and find your zone.
For residents living in areas with active bears, please take these extra steps to secure your waste by following these BEST PRACTICES:
- Food waste is the primary attractant of concern. Place all food waste in the organics cart as it is equipped with an effective locking mechanism, making them significantly more difficult for the bears to access than the garbage or recycling carts.
- You may leave your organics cart in the locked position, the gravity lock will open automatically when collected by the automatic arm on the collection vehicle.
- To reduce odours further, wrap your organics in newspaper, certified compostable bags or freeze material until collection day.
- Waste will NOT be collected from garbage boxes.
- Keep carts inside (especially the organics cart) in a garage or shed until the morning of collection then roll carts to the curb by 7 a.m.
- If indoor storage is not possible, store waste in alternative safe spaces (such as pre-existing steel, bear bins/boxes) then transfer material into carts on collection day by 7 a.m.
- Garbage and recycling collection are collected on alternating weeks, organics is collected weekly. Please ensure you place your material out on the correct week so it does not sit out all week uncollected.
- If possible, promptly remove carts once collected. If you are not going to be home, ask a friend or neighbour.
- Rinse all food containers and meat trays before placing into carts.
- If leaving your cottage/seasonal property in advance of collection day consider self hauling your material to a waste site, or returning waste to your home municipality.
- Rinse carts out regularly using a hose and baking soda.
To report a bear sighting, or a safety concern, please contact Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry at
1-866-514-2327. For more resources, consult the Bear Wise Program.
If you have followed the steps above and are still having issues with bears or other wildlife please contact Service Simcoe at 1-800-263-3199 or email service@simcoe.ca
The County of Simcoe is responsible for residential waste collection services, but not required to provide collection services to dwellings located on private (not municipally serviced) roads. However, many private (cottage) roads can receive access to curbside collection services provided access is safe for single-operator waste collection vehicles. To determine eligibility, contact Service Simcoe at 1-800-263-3199 or service@simcoe.ca