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![\"MIKE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/3912591_web1_260120-broken-bins-0001.jpg\")
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MIKE DEAL \/ FREE PRESS<\/p>\n
Trash can trashed? Recycling bin been better? Well, you\u2019re not alone. The City of Winnipeg says it has a major backlog of about 2,100 homes that need replacements for damaged garbage and\/or recycling carts and is estimating the wait for new ones could be as long as five weeks.<\/p>\n
Waste collection carts originally rolled out to Winnipeg homes in 2012, when the city started using the wheeled automated bins to collect household waste. Fourteen years later, many of the receptacles are wearing out, said Gordichuk.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe average lifespan for carts is around 10 years\u2026 They\u2019re long past their life expectancy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The typical replacement cart waiting period is about 10 business days. The wait began to grow longer around the end of October, as calls for replacements increased, while problems with some cargo vans used to deliver the carts later added to the delay, Gordichuk said.<\/p>\n
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The problem began to worsen again in December, due to increased staff holidays and illness, he said.<\/p>\n
The city opted against a blanket replacement of all collection carts, since that option would cost much more than replacing individual carts as required.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have roughly 230,000 residents with the garbage and recycling carts and our average cost per cart would be $100. It\u2019s a substantial amount of money and you would be replacing what technically could be new carts (for any replaced earlier),\u201d said Gordichuk.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe average lifespan for carts is around 10 years\u2026 They\u2019re long past their life expectancy.\u201d<\/p>\n
He suspects a recent policy change may also be increasing demand for new carts. In March, city council approved a hike to the per-home annual garbage fee, raising it from $93 to $254 in 2025 (prorated to $190.50).<\/p>\n
The new fee now covers the cost to replace carts the city determines were damaged by residents themselves, which was previously charged to the homeowners, Gordichuk said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people might have held off making claims back then.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coun. Ross Eadie, chairman of city council\u2019s water and waste committee, said the wait \u201csucks\u201d for residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I\u2019m disappointed about is the customer who is paying for service, who shouldn\u2019t have to wait 25 (business) days,\u201d said Eadie (Mynarski).<\/p>\n
The councillor said the city should have proactively ensured it could keep up with replacing its aging bins.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is oversight and planning (needed) for a situation where we\u2019re going to have thousands of carts \u2026 replaced in a year,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I\u2019m disappointed about is the customer who is paying for service, who shouldn\u2019t have to wait 25 (business) days.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city says those waiting for new carts should still receive garbage collection.<\/p>\n
Regular cart pickups can continue, if the cart is deemed usable. If it\u2019s not, people can sign up for manual collection by calling 311.<\/p>\n
As an alternative, those who own a vehicle large enough to transport their damaged cart can drive it to 1120 Waverley St. to exchange it for a new one during business hours.<\/p>\n
Residents can take that option as long as they\u2019ve reported the issue to 311 and can provide their case number, said Gordichuk. That should greatly speed up the process, since exchanges are possible within about a day of securing the case number, he said.<\/p>\n
The city asks those affected by the delay to be patient for now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand the frustration. Just be patient with us. We\u2019re working through it and you know we\u2019ll look after this as fast as we can,\u201d said Gordichuk.<\/p>\n
Eadie said he\u2019s concerned Winnipeggers with the lowest incomes will struggle most with the delay, since they are least likely to own vehicles large enough to swap their damaged carts with new ones.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand the frustration. Just be patient with us. We\u2019re working through it and you know we\u2019ll look after this as fast as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis doesn\u2019t work great in the inner city or wherever anybody\u2019s living in \u2026 poverty,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The city hopes to eliminate the delivery backlog by \u201cno later than April,\u201d Gordichuk said. A plan is now being worked out to deliver more carts each day, though details aren\u2019t finalized yet, he said.<\/p>\n
joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n
X: @joyanne_pursaga<\/p>\n
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Joyanne Pursaga Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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