Regular leaf and yard waste collection resumes in Simcoe County

Yard waste is placed curbside at a residence in Barrie, Ont. (CTV News/Steve Mansbridge)

After two weeks of focusing on cleaning up from a major ice storm, the County of Simcoe will restart its regular leaf and yard waste collection beginning the week of April 28.

Residents will receive three weeks of collection, following a bi-weekly schedule that lines up with regular garbage pickup. That means collection will take place during the weeks of April 28, May 5, and one additional week, ending June 6. However, this service is not available for residents living in the cities of Barrie or Orillia, which manage their own waste collection.

County officials remind residents to place their yard waste at the curb by 7 a.m. on the Monday of their collection week. Because pickup may occur at any time between Monday and Friday, residents are asked to be patient and leave their bags or containers out even if it’s not collected on garbage day.

Yard waste includes leaves, grass clippings, garden debris, and small branches. Materials must be placed in kraft paper yard waste bags, cardboard boxes, or open rigid containers — plastic bags are not accepted. Branches should be bundled and cut to the appropriate size. Details on acceptable materials and preparation instructions are available on the County’s website.

“We thank residents for their patience as our collection crews and resources prioritized ice storm clean up in some of our hardest hit communities,” said Warden Basil Clarke. “We know residents rely on our leaf and yard waste collection program and we ask for your continued patience as we ramp up collection a little bit later than usual this year.”

Brush Clean-up

While regular yard waste collection resumes, the County is continuing to deal with the aftermath of the ice storm. Curbside brush collection is still underway in several areas hit hard by the storm, including Ramara, Oro-Medonte, and Severn, with crews also starting work in Innisfil, Springwater, and Essa.

For residents still clearing debris, all County waste sites will accept brush drop-offs free of charge until the end of May. Temporary brush drop-off locations are also available in some areas. More information, including hours and locations, is available on the County’s website.

County officials say chipper crews are expected to be mobilized shortly and more updates will be shared in the coming days.