New garbage carts to be delivered starting this week: Here’s what you need to know

The City of Barrie’s new automated curbside collection program kicks off with delivery of the new carts starting this week.

Residents and businesses across Barrie will start to receive new garbage and organics carts as of this week, but the actual automated curbside collection program doesn’t start just yet.

Once you receive your new carts, find a spot to store them until the program begins on Sept. 8.

Delivery of the new carts will take place throughout the summer months, with over 90,000 being delivered to the end of driveways.

“You don’t need to sign for them, and you don’t need to be home when they are delivered,” the City stated. “If you’re planning on being away (i.e. on vacation) during your delivery window, please ask a neighbour to park your carts by your house or garage.”

Carts will not be available for pickup at city facilities.

Residents are asked to avoid filling the carts with waste until the week before the cart collection program begins, and to write the property address with a permanent marker on the white area of the cart.

Carts cannot be exchanged with others. They are equipped with a radio frequency identification tag (RFID) and unique serial number to each assigned property.

“All collection trucks are equipped with a RFID reader and onboard computer that can help ensure carts stay with the correct property,” the City stated.

Carts may arrive any given weekday within the scheduled delivery window. The City says the schedule is approximate and subject to change. Each residential property will receive one 120L organics cart and one 240L garbage cart at no charge, unless a request was made for a smaller version.

Owners of properties with two to five residential units can request additional sets of carts.

Recycling carts are not part of the automated cart collection program. Residential recycling collection is managed by Circular Materials and will continue to be collected in the blue and grey bins.

The City says Circular Materials may change the way recycling is collected in the future, but no further information was provided.