Thunder Bay will be opting out of providing residential recycling services, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any pick up.
In speaking to Acadia News, Solid Waste and Recycling Services Manager Jason Sherband explained the following:
- The province is switching to a one-and-done process for a province wide recycling program
- An oversight body will be the liaison between recyclable producers (companies that make the products we recycle Coke-Cola, Pepsi…etc) to the province and municipalities.
- Currently municipalities have been asked if they still want be in charge of the their recycling programs. Thunder Bay has opted OUT of that responsibility. Instead it will be on the service provider (ie GFL if they have a contract to continue collecting recycling, or another company that receives the contract. )
What do I if I have a concern/complaint about my recycling collection?
- As of July 1, 2024 you will no longer go to the City, instead you will go to the service provider to have these resolved and/or addressed
Will my recycling still be picked up after July 1, 2024?
- YES. This is where the confusion was, as there are so many moving parts to this. As the province and Thunder Bay transitions to the new process, blue bags/bins will still be collected on the normal schedule. Changes could happen on or after January 1, 2026 when the City will have zero contract responsibility over the collection of recycling as that will rest with the company that got the contract to do the work.
Between July 1, 2024 – December 31, 2025 is when the transition period will happen of services going from being the City’s responsibility to the new service provider. During this time things should remain relatively status quo, unless residents are otherwise notified.
“Service will be maintained during that year and a half window, so material will still be collected at the curb,” said Solid Waste and Recycling Services Manager Jason Sherband. “They will still have to maintain three recycling depots in the community, and then in 2026 once that transition period is complete, then Producers will have the ability or authority to make changes how they see fit.”
The city could be saving upwards of $900,000 for the 2024 budget and as much as $3 million in 2025.
The city estimates that $120,000 is still required in the 2023 Solid Waste and Recycling Services Operating Budget for resources to support transition of services.
Sherband was also asked about negotiating the termination of the current service provider contract with GFL Environmental Incorporated.
“We knew that when we signed that agreement with GFL in 2020, in fact we built the contract knowing that we would be transitioning here at this point. We do have out clauses built in the contract so that is accounted for,” reassured Sherband.
The current provincial Blue Box (blue bag) program funds approximately 50% of municipal costs.
Staff is now tasked with ways to support the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional sector with recycling services and are scheduled to be back before Council on or before December 4th, 2023.
With files from Katie Nicholls