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Oxford County’s much-debated organic waste collection program will begin in January, with containers being distributed in the coming weeks.
Published Oct 22, 2025 • 2 minute read
Green bins will be distributed to households in Woodstock and South-West Oxford in the coming weeks. (Postmedia Network file photo) Photo by Mike Hensen /Postmedia fileArticle content
Oxford County’s much-debated organic waste collection program will begin in January, with green-bin containers being distributed to Woodstock and South-West Oxford households in the coming weeks.
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“One 45-litre green bin for setting out at the curb, along with a seven-litre kitchen container for food scraps, will be delivered to 24,000 residences across the two municipalities throughout October and November,” a county release said. “Each bin contains a sorting guide and information sheet, along with samples of acceptable compostable bin liners or bags if residents choose to use these.”
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The bins are designed to collect food scraps and other biodegradable waste, excluding leaf and yard waste. Bag tags are not required for organics.
The bins will be delivered to single-and semi-detached homes, townhouses, and apartments with as many as five units along existing garbage collection routes. Larger units and apartment buildings will be eligible to join the program in 2026.
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Small businesses, commercial properties, and not-for-profit and public-sector organizations won’t be included in the program when it launches. To fill this gap, Oxford County is starting a new curbside recycling collection program for those groups.
Green bins will be collected along with regular garbage on a rotating six-day collection cycle.Collection schedules will be available online and mailed out by Oxford County staff in November.
For residents in Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and Zorra, the program is slated to begin in May 2027
Multi-residential buildings in those communities can register for organic waste collection starting in 2027. Property owners can register by filling out an online enrolment form beginning Nov. 1 at oxfordcounty.ca.
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This coming January, all Oxford County municipalities will have their blue box recycling collection move to a new provincewide program where the financial and operational responsibility falls on the producers of the packaging. For more information, visit circularmaterials.ca/city-of-woodstock or circularmaterials.ca/south-west-oxford.
For more on the new organics program, visit oxfordcounty.ca/new-waste-collection.
County now accepting ‘My Second Unit’ funding applications
Oxford County is now accepting applications for My Second Unit, a funding program that helps homeowners add a second unit to their homes and become landlords.
The program allows homeowners to apply for an interest-free forgivable loan of as much as $30,000 to develop a secondary dwelling unit, such as a basement apartment, in their home. A second unit is defined as a single, self-contained, rental apartment with its own entrance, kitchen, sleeping area and bathroom.
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“To qualify, homeowners must agree to remain as the owner and live in the home during the 10-year forgivable period, although the agreement can be transferred to a new homeowner with approval from the county,” stated a county media release. “Homeowners must also agree to rent the secondary unit at or below the average market rents set by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing each year, and to rent to tenants that meet prescribed household income criteria.
“The total loan amount available to the homeowner is based on construction-related costs required to create a secondary unit in the home.”
For homeowners, rental income can help with household expenses, contribute to savings or make home ownership more feasible. For communities with a low rental vacancy rate, secondary units are another way to help address a shortage in housing options.
The application deadline is Dec. 15, 2025. For more information or to download an information package, visit oxfordcounty.ca/mysecondunit.
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