'The bins aren’t appropriate': Residents react to Waterloo Region’s proposed waste collection program
A new fleet of garbage trucks and carts – instead of bags.
That’s part of a pricey new plan proposed by staff for the Region of Waterloo.
Starting in 2026, the region plans to roll out an automated cart-based system. Each household would get two carts and residents could still use bags, but they would need to put in the carts at the curb for pickup.
The cart-based system is already used in many other communities like Toronto, Guelph and Simcoe County.
The County of Simcoe rolls out a new waste cart system. Wed., Oct. 27, 2021 (Kraig Krause/CTV News)
“A single cart for garbage, that's 240 litres. It's equivalent to the existing three bag limit, maybe a little bit more. And then a green cart which is about 100 litres to 120 litres,” explained Jon Arseneault, Waterloo region’s waste management director.
All 60 of the region’s garbage trucks would need to be replaced, but the benefit is that it would be the trucks doing most of the heavy lifting.
“They have automated arms, that the driver inside the vehicle operates, that picks up the carts and deposits the waste into the garbage truck,” Arseneault said.
The County of Simcoe rolls out its waste collection cart program. (Katelyn Wilson/CTV News)
In a Planning and Works Committee meeting on Tuesday, staff encouraged councillors to approve a plan to award the $289,702,500 contract to Halton Recycling Ltd and Emterra Environmental, an Oakville company who was among the four submitted proposals. The waste management contract was carried by the committee but will go to regional councillors on May 22 for final approval.
“We will be coming back to council later this year with a fully scoped out, detailed communications and implementation plan,” Arsenault said.
Garbage collection will also switch from a five-day to a four-day collection week (Tuesday to Friday).
A report to staff said moving to cart-based collection, as well as transitioning to alternative fuel collection vehicles, will reduce injuries to workers, litter and greenhouse gas emissions.
The cost of the new program
The costs associated with these collection changes are much higher than the region’s existing contract.
“This trend of higher collection contract costs has been reflected in recently awarded contracts for other Ontario municipalities, with increases ranging from 30 per cent to 150 per cent higher,” staff said in its report.
The proposal approved by council includes one-time capital costs for the supply and distribution of curbside collection carts, in the amount of $25.7 million in 2025 and 2026. The estimated annual operating cost in March 2026 is pegged at $33 million.
Regional Councillor and Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said the higher costs are his biggest concern.
“How is this going to impact affordability in terms of a core service within our region?” asked Vrbanovic in an interview with CTV News. “This is an increase that we know is going to have a direct hit on the budgets starting in March 2026 and on. So that is something that regional council is going to have to grapple with.”
The region acknowledged the cost increase but said it is based on market conditions and other jurisdictions who have the same system in place.
While curbside collection for this contract won’t start until March 2026, staff said planning and preparation for the change will happen right after the contract is awarded.
Residents react
David Hollinger lives in a Waterloo townhome and said he won’t have enough room for the new carts.
“My first thought was just to leave them on the boulevard. Except in the wintertime, the snow plows don't plow to the curb. And the trucks won't be able to pick them up,” worried Hollinger.
He said he’s hoping council reconsiders the plan and comes up with a different solution for those with limited space on their property.
“I'd probably look for a place to put those bins. Like on my councillor's front driveway,” he joked. “The bins aren’t appropriate. That’s unacceptable at this point.”
Robert Kocher, who also lives in Waterloo, believes the cart-based system is a great idea especially on windy days. He said he’s often chasing his garbage down the street when it goes flying.
“What I like about it is there's going to be less mess when there's pickups,” he said. “So these big bins, they're going to have lids on them. They're going to contain everything.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi still missing after helicopter accident in mountains
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the country's foreign minister and other officials apparently crashed in the mountainous northwest reaches of Iran on Sunday.
Court eases internet restrictions for Sask. man who matched with a 15-year-old girl on Tinder
A Saskatchewan man who had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder successfully appealed to shorten release conditions barring him from online dating.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
What do we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter carrying Iran's president?
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
Ex-partner charged with first-degree murder after 55-year-old woman killed in Montreal
Less than 24 hours after Montreal's 12th homicide investigation began, Montreal police confirmed that a 55-year-old woman's death in St. Michel is the island's 13th homicide. The woman's ex-spouse has been charged with first-degree murder.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
Toxic drugs circulating in northeastern Ont., police say
Canada’s largest First Nations police service, the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service issued a community safety alert as extremely toxic drugs are likely circulating in many of the communities it serves.