Blue Box Recycling Changes Effective January 1, 2026

Effective January 1, 2026, the Province of Ontario has mandated changes to recycling programs. Under this new provincial regulation, curbside collection will no longer be available for properties and organizations that have been deemed non-eligible under the provincial program.

This change is a provincial decision and not one made by the Township of Southgate. 

With the transition to Circular Materials, IC&I properties will be included in a user-pay system and identified with the Municipal Property Tax Assessment Corporation (MPAC). These properties are referred to as “Non-Eligible Sources.”

What does this mean for you: 

• As a business/organization that falls into this non-eligible category, your recycling will still be collected by the Township, and you will be charged a user fee for this service beginning January 1, 2026. If your property is classified as non-eligible, you will receive correspondence from the Township in the coming weeks.
• Recycling and organic cart collection for Non-Eligible Sources will be moved to Friday on the regularly scheduled recycling collection week. A cart collection schedule for Non-Eligible Sources can be viewed here.
• Curbside organic and waste collection is continuing as usual across the Township.
• Residential units within mixed-use properties will continue to receive recycling collection with no changes.
• Non-Eligible Sources can continue to recycle materials at the Waste and Diversion sites, a fee of $10.00 per load will be collected effective January 1, 2026.

Why Is This Transition Happening?

The Government of Ontario introduced the Blue Box Regulation under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act as part of its strategy to build a waste-free Ontario.

This regulation shifts responsibility for the Blue Box Program from municipalities to producers of packaging and paper products. Producers are now fully responsible for:

• Funding the program
• Operating collection systems
• Meeting recycling performance targets
• Reporting to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA)

By placing full responsibility on producers, the new system creates stronger incentives to reduce waste, improve recycling outcomes, and support Ontario’s circular economy helping reduce pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and reliance on natural resources.