A staff request for pre-budget approval for $1,375,894.81 for 2026 waste collection services was approved by council during their October 20 meeting, as the municipality is set to enter a new six-year contract with Miller Waste.
“This report recommends awarding the Municipality’s new Waste Collection and Disposal Contract to Miller Waste Systems for a six-year term beginning January 1, 2026, with the option of five, one-year extensions. The total first year value is $1,375,894.81 including the non-refundable HST,” staff advised in their report to council.
In their report, staff noted that the cost for waste collection services will increase each year through contract rate adjustments tied to inflation or the cost of diesel fuel.
The new contract comes as the municipality is set to transition to the province’s new blue box program that shifts the burden for recyclables collection from municipalities to producers.
“The contract aligns Meaford with the blue box regulation (0.REG.391/21) transition, shifting financial and operational responsibility for residential recycling to producers as of January 1, 2026. Awarding the contract ensures continuity of service during the transition while providing the flexibility to phase in service modernization, such as automated cart-based collection over the term,” said staff in their report.
Meaford’s waste collection contract expires on December 31, 2025.
Staff issued a request for proposal in June of this year, and Miller Waste submitted the lone bid.
“The Municipality of Meaford’s current waste collection and disposal contract expires on December 31, 2025. As part of the procurement process for a new contract, staff issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) on Thursday, June 26, 2025, inviting qualified contractors to submit proposals to provide residential waste, recycling (provisional for non-eligible recycling materials) organics collection services and municipal dumpster collection. In the RFP, staff have identified several operational and legislative changes, most notably the transition of the Blue Box Program. Staff have also explored operational improvements, such as contractor-managed carts that is anticipated to be a phased-in approach as well a flexible collection schedule to be determined in collaboration with the selected contractor,” staff advised in their report.
Though the new contract will cost the municipality $12,714.81 more than 2025, in spite of a reduction of nearly $300,000 in the recycling collection portion of the contract, council is hoping to realize savings long-term.
“Ontario’s Blue Box Regulation mandates that producers assume full responsibility for funding and operating the collection system for recyclable packaging and paper products. As a result, municipalities will no longer be required to fund or directly manage these services following the transition date, expecting to provide financial relief to municipalities by removing the costs associated with residential recycling collection and processing, potentially resulting in significant long-term savings,” staff noted in their report. “The transition also comes along with operational considerations. Municipalities must work closely with Circular Materials, the organization designated to oversee producer responsibility for a smooth and coordinated handover of services which may cause temporary overlaps between municipal and producer collection systems. Residents may experience changes to their recycling service, including adjustments of materials accepted, and the service provider. Municipalities will continue to play a vital role in public communication despite the responsibility change.”
Meaford will be one of the last municipalities in Ontario to transition to the new blue box program.
“Starting July 1, 2023, the transition began for select municipalities, and by January 1, 2026, all municipalities must complete the transition to full producer responsibility. Meaford is one of the last municipalities to transition, with the scheduled date to transition on January 1, 2026. Until then, municipalities are required to continue managing collection services under interim arrangements and coordinate closely with the producers’ administrative corporation, Circular Materials,” staff noted in their report.
More details about the blue box transition program including what items residents can discard in their blue boxes will be communicated in the weeks ahead.
