Tecumseh awards waste collection contract to GFL, shifts to biweekly garbage pickup

(Source: Cole Burston/Bloomberg)

The Town of Tecumseh has awarded its new waste collection contract to GFL Environmental Inc.

Council reviewed the information at a meeting two weeks ago and agreed to move to biweekly garbage collection, pending further details on costs and the tender process.

Starting Feb. 1, 2027, garbage pickup for homes and businesses will shift to once every two weeks on Thursdays, aligning with the town’s green bin collection schedule.

Yard waste will continue to be collected weekly. Bulky items, such as couches and mattresses, will be collected monthly on the last scheduled garbage day of each month. White goods, including refrigerators and stoves, will continue to be collected by the Essex‑Windsor Solid Waste Authority.

According to administration, the town’s 2026 waste collection budget is $760,000. GFL’s contract price is approximately $900,000, representing an 18 per cent increase over the current budget. The increase translates to a projected 0.44 per cent tax rate increase.

Phil Bartnik, the town’s director of public works and engineering services, said maintaining the current level of service would have resulted in higher costs.

“Between the two service providers, we would have seen an increase anywhere between two per cent and 10 per cent in the tax rate. By changing the level of service, we reduced that to an increase of only 0.44 per cent,” Bartnik said.

Coun. Brian Houston said the change is a practical decision.

“Although it is biweekly, we have a lot of options available for those items that would have gone out weekly, and by choosing this, we’re saving residents a considerable amount of money,” he said.

Coun. Alicia Higgison said public education will be key as the changes approach.

“Residents become accustomed to specific collection days, so keeping the public informed about the new schedule over the next year will be important,” she said.

Two bids were submitted for the contract — one from GFL Environmental and another from Miller Waste.

Administration recommended approving the GFL bid, which came in at $884,000.