Public frustration over Ontario’s new blue box recycling system is mounting — and mayors from York Region’s six northern municipalities say a tense meeting with program administrators has only deepened their concerns.
Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said Tuesday’s virtual meeting with Circular Materials, the non-profit running the province’s revamped recycling program, was unlike anything he has experienced. “I’ve never seen this level of frustration and anger from a group of mayors,” he told the media. He said he directly asked officials whether they had “any level of confidence” the rollout would go smoothly. “Because we don’t,” he said. “It looks like it’s going to be a disaster.”
Taylor, along with mayors or acting mayors from Georgina, East Gwillimbury, King Township, Aurora, and Whitchurch-Stouffville, pressed the organization on communication gaps, unanswered questions, and what they describe as a rollout misaligned with community needs. Many later took to social media to express their dissatisfaction.
Beginning in January, recycling collection in the N6 municipalities will switch from weekly to biweekly service, with pickup handled by automated trucks rather than workers. Households will no longer be allowed to use traditional blue boxes. Instead, every residence will receive a single 95-gallon cart — with no option to choose a smaller size.
The mayors say that’s the number one issue. While some residents welcome the larger carts, many older adults, people with disabilities, and those living in small homes or apartments above shops may struggle to maneuver or store them. Taylor noted that in Simcoe County, residents can choose from multiple cart sizes, including smaller options, making York Region’s one-size-fits-all approach especially baffling.
Circular Materials CEO Allen Langdon defended the program in an email, saying it shifts all costs and operational responsibility to packaging producers, not municipalities or taxpayers. He highlighted that the new system allows residents to recycle more items — including coffee cups, deodorant tubes, ice cream tubs, black plastic, and frozen juice containers. The cart selection, he said, resulted from a competitive procurement process consistent with provincial regulations.
But the mayors say they were stunned that Tuesday’s meeting offered no new information — despite weeks of asking for clarity. They are now seeking a meeting with Ontario Environment Minister Todd McCarthy.
Taylor believes cost-cutting, not community needs, is driving the rollout. He says he has never received so many resident complaints so quickly. He worries the oversized carts will push people toward tossing recyclables into the garbage simply because they can’t manage or store the new bins.
