County of Simcoe recycling system changes as new province-wide system takes over

Ontario is implementing a province-wide recycling collection system.

Starting in 2026, recycling collection in Simcoe County will transition to the management of circular materials. While homeowners won’t be affected, small businesses will be.

“In the County of Simcoe, we have about 5,600 businesses altogether. About 2,100 of those use the system at the curb right now,” says Manager of Waste Collections Laura Barrett.

That means those businesses will have to either hire someone to haul it away or take it to the landfill on their own dime.

Bilal Azizi, owner of 241 Pizza in Innisfil, says, “It’s going to be a nuisance for us. It’s just not good for small businesses in my opinion. Me and my mother, we run this business, right, so it’s going to be difficult for us to find where to put all this extra recycling.”

The county and its warden had hoped the province would include small businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and even churches and food banks in its new recycling program, but that’s not the case.

Basil Clark County of Simcoe Warden says, “The concern is that now the recycling will end up in waste stream, right? That’s always the concern. These are businesses that really wanted to recycle and take part in the organics program, but their option now is to bring it to the landfills, right?”

The changes to recycling pick-up will take effect on Jan 1. If you have any issues with your pickup of recycling after the new year, you are to contact Emterra Environmental and not the county.