Region of Waterloo says bye to blue box business
The Region of Waterloo will be out of the blue box business come Saturday as the responsibilities for collection shifts to the province.
Region of Waterloo staff say it should be a seamless transition.
“Same program, same date. You put your materials out, same types of materials go in the blue box,” said Joe Arsenault, director of waste for the region.
Arsenault also anticipates the move will save taxpayers around $2 million every year.
It comes as part of a provincial mandate. A new company called Circular Materials is gradually taking over recycling pickup across Ontario.
What does that mean to you during the transition from 2023 to 2025?
Things that stay the same:
- Your collection day won’t change
- Keep doing the two-box sort
- What goes in the blue box doesn’t change
- Green bin, garbage, yard waste and bulky collections continue as is
Things that change:
You will contact Circular Materials’ contractors about…
- Blue box issues or concerns
- Getting new or exchanging broken blue boxes
Bittersweet goodbye to blue box
Arsenault says the region is still committed to a greener future.
“It is something we should be proud of. The program started here and will continue in many respects in its current format. It’s just going to be operated and arranged by others,” Arsenault said.
Waterloo Region is home of the blue box program, with Nyle Ludolph developing the concept in the 1970s, which has taken off globally.
“I think it’s a bittersweet experience for many of us who’ve been here for a while and either knew Nyle or his legacy.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Canada will be absolutely fine': Justin Trudeau, his ministers and Pierre Poilievre congratulate Donald Trump
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet congratulated Donald Trump Wednesday morning on his second United States presidential election win, amid questions about how the federal government intends to navigate a second term.
What Donald Trump's election victory could mean for Canada
Following president-elect Donald Trump's decisive election victory, there are sure to be significant knock-on effects for Canada. Here's a look at the different areas in which a second Trump presidency may affect Canadians.
Kamala Harris concedes: Here's what she said in her speech
Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris conceded the U.S. election to Republican Donald Trump Wednesday afternoon, telling her supporters that her 'heart is full.'
Canada orders wind up of TikTok's Canadian business, app access to continue
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok's Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Newfoundland hockey player suspended, banned from local arena after off-ice fight with fan
A combination of a thrown stick and thrown punches have given a senior hockey player in Newfoundland a three-game suspension and an indefinite ban from one of his league's six arenas.
Controversial Australian Olympic breakdancer 'Raygun' retires from competition
Australian breaker Rachael Gunn has told a Sydney radio station that she plans to retire from competition just three months after her unconventional routine at the Paris Olympics led to her being ridiculed and spawned conspiracy theories about how she qualified for the Games.
Sleepy during the day? You may be at higher risk for a pre-dementia syndrome, study finds
If you find yourself sleepy during your daily activities in your older age, you may need to consider it more than an inconvenience — since the fatigue may indicate you’re at higher risk for developing a condition that can lead to dementia, a new study has found.
Kamala Harris made a historic dash for the White House. Here's why she fell short.
"Sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn't mean we won't win," U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris said on Wednesday in her concession speech.
Who won the popular vote? U.S. election vote totals from the past 40 years
Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency on Tuesday, and as of Wednesday morning, was also ahead in the popular vote. Historically, though, the candidate with the most votes hasn’t always won the contest.