Residents may soon face higher costs when disposing of waste at local landfills; one politician hopes it doesn’t result in garbage being dumped in ditches
Editor’s note: As a separated city, Barrie manages its own waste and the following does not affect the city’s landfill.
The County of Simcoe is considering an increase to tipping fees at its local landfills.
Given the increased costs associated with exporting and processing waste, county staff have recommended council increase fees residents pay when bringing various items to the dump.
The goal is to help recover operating costs, encourage diversion to support the long-term financial sustainability of county waste operations, and position rates in line with comparable municipalities, according to the report presented to council during this week’s committee of the whole meeting.
The proposed 2026 tipping fee adjustments are a “strategic response” to rising operational and processing costs, regulatory changes and limited landfill space, stated the report.
“By aligning rates with service delivery costs and regional benchmarks, the county can continue to meet service expectations and operational demands,” stated the report, which also noted revenue generated by tipping fees does not fully cover operating costs at county waste sites.
Early projections for 2026 indicate that total annual revenues at county-run facilities, including subsidies and anticipated tipping fee increases, will be approximately $8 million, while total expenses across all sites are expected to exceed $26 million.
As a result, staff recommended increasing the garbage tipping fee from $155 to $200 per tonne, as well as increasing the minimum fee from $15 to $20.
A minimum fee of $10 was also proposed for residents dropping off recyclable materials, stated the report, noting the lower than garbage minimum fee is meant to streamline site operations by allowing residents to prepay for lighter loads, therefore reducing the need to return to the scale. It’s also meant to serve as an incentive to divert recyclable materials from the landfill stream.
Staff have also recommended the following:
Mixed and difficult waste: Increase from $310 to $400 per tonne to reflect higher handling and disposal costs, and encourage better source separation;
Drywall and shingles: Increase from $75 to $100 per tonne due to rising processing and haulage costs;
Wood and brush: Increase from $75 to $100 per tonne.
Judith Cox, Severn Township’s deputy mayor, supported the increases, calling them “necessary.”
“We are behind and we are losing money. We need people to pay, and pay what they should pay,” she said.
Given that the county is set to take a “significant hit” starting in January due to changes in the recycling program, Collingwood Deputy Mayor Tim Fryer also backed support for the increases. However, he urged staff to ensure residents are properly informed about the reasons behind the decision.
Fryer also expressed concern that the changes could result in more waste being dumped in ditches by those looking to avoid paying to dispose of their items.
“I am hopeful that’s not going to be the case,” he said.