Tecumseh will move to bi-weekly garbage pickup in 2027, but the cost to residents remains unclear. Town council approved several changes to waste collection on Tuesday night as the clock ticks on the current waste collection contract. Because two companies submitted bids to provide the service, all cost changes were given in ranges until the tender is awarded. Starting Feb. 1, 2027, residential and commercial garbage collection is expected to move to a bi-weekly pick up on Thursdays. “Administration is recommending that item one, a, bi-weekly residential waste be selected on the basis that it is a considerable reduction in cost over maintaining the current level of service,” said Phil Bartnik, Tecumseh’s director of public works and engineering services. While Tecumseh will spend $750,000 on collection services in 2026, proposals showed to maintain service levels would cost about 263% more. Depending on which company is awarded the winning bid, the town will see an overall increase between 18 per cent and 177 per cent, compared to its 2026 budget. Changes approved Tuesday include maintaining yard waste as a weekly service, but spreading pick-ups over four days to reduce costs. Collection of bulky items, such as couches and mattresses, will happen on a monthly basis, being picked up on the last Thursday of each month. “You talk about inflation, we look at these numbers, it’s astounding,” said Gary McNamara, Tecumseh’s mayor, on the rising costs. In addition to aligning with the collection of the green bin program, the municipality is hoping to put less waste into the landfill to delay its costly replacement. “One of the pieces I think is very important is for us to continue, you know, reducing the amount of refuse to the landfill,” McNamara said. “Obviously, there’s an offset cost to that, and it’s under tipping fees and, also, the preservation of the landfill moving forward.” Town council is expected to award the contract for waste collection at its next meeting, which will provide a more complete picture of the expected cost increases.
