• Stouffville Council has directed Town Staff to develop a full implementation plan for centralized, in-ground garbage drop-off bins for Downtown businesses.
  • The decision comes ahead of Ontario’s 2026 Blue Box program, which will shift recycling collection responsibilities to producers.
  • In accordance with the regulations, the Town opted to end all municipal waste collection for businesses, prompting Council to explore alternative solutions for Main Street merchants.
  • The selected bins would be locked and accessible only to local businesses, with no recycling collection included following an amendment by Councillor Sue Sherban.
  • Her amendment also ensures associated costs would be recovered through the Downtown’s special service levy, which is paid exclusively by Village businesses.
  • The Village of Stouffville Advisory Committee (VSAC) preferred maintaining curbside collection.
  • A report to Council later this year will detail final costs and be presented to VSAC prior to any final approval.

 

Town Council has taken another step toward assisting Stouffville’s Downtown with waste collection, opting to investigate a common garbage drop-off area for Main Street businesses set to lose collection services next year.

If approved, the model would see shared garbage containers installed at a centralized location, likely alongside 6240 Main Street or in the Park Drive municipal lot. Business owners between Albert Street and Park Drive would hold keys to access the locked bins and be responsible for transporting their own garbage for disposal.

A unanimously approved motion from Ward 6 Councillor Sue Sherban has directed Staff to develop a full implementation plan and cost breakdown for the program before final approval. While the option originally included recycling collection, Sherban’s amendment red-lined that portion of the proposal.

“Staff have researched…in-ground bins similar to the bins located at the Leisure Centre and Ballantrae Community Centre. These bins are contained within the ground and have an aesthetically pleasing look and minimizes odours as opposed to metal front-end bins,” a related Staff report explains.

“This option could also be beneficial for garbage disposal during the upcoming Main Street construction project,” it adds.

The decision is the latest in a months-long review sparked by pending changes stemming from Ontario’s Blue Box program. Starting Jan. 1, 2026, producers of paper and packaging products will become solely responsible for collecting and processing residential blue bin materials. While residential collection will continue, the program specifically excludes certain non-eligible sources, such as businesses.

Falling in line with those regulations, Stouffville decided to end all municipal waste collection for non-eligible properties. However, through a February Council decision, Staff were instructed to provide municipal collection options for Downtown businesses.

In their report to Council, Staff presented four choices, each with varying service types and financial implications. The selected Option A carried an original estimate of $80,000 in installation costs for three garbage bins and three recycling bins, as well as $3,200 in annual garbage collection fees and $7,500 in recycling collection fees.

Those costs will be reassessed following Sherban’s amendment, and additional resources and expenses would also be necessary to obtain permits and install security cameras to discourage illegal dumping and misuse. Upwards of 12 parking spaces will need to be removed to make room for the bins.

Staff cautioned that continuing service for some non-eligible users could trigger demands for similar support from other excluded properties, potentially creating significant financial pressure. They also warned that ratepayers might view such arrangements as unfair subsidies for commercial operators, leading to public complaints.

Sherban’s motion addressed those concerns by ensuring all costs associated with Option A be fully recovered through the Downtown’s special service tax levy. The charge is mandated by the Town and paid exclusively by businesses within the Village core to support work conducted by the Village of Stouffville Advisory Committee (VSAC).

Option B, which was strongly preferred by VSAC, would have retained curbside collection using 95-gallon carts placed along Main Street. This approach was projected to cost approximately $260,000 annually, with further expenses if the Town opted to supply the carts to businesses at no charge.

Option C proposed deploying Town Staff and a new collection vehicle dedicated to Downtown pickup. That model required a $275,000 capital investment and about $364,000 in annual operating costs. Option D, the most cost-neutral path, would have seen the Town end waste collection for all non-eligible sources, placing full responsibility on Downtown businesses to arrange their own disposal services.

Council had initially received the report earlier this month but delayed making a decision until members of VSAC could formally weigh in. While accepting Option A as an adequate fallback, they noted operational inconveniences, winter access challenges, and a possible increase in the amount of waste placed in public garbage bins along Main Street.

The strategy will be refined over the coming months and put forward to VSAC before coming to Council for final approval.