Grey County has launched a comprehensive review of its garbage and recycling programs to find ways to save money for residents in The Blue Mountains, Ontario. The study responds to the province-wide transition to full producer responsibility for the Blue Box, which was completed on January 1, 2026 and moved the funding and operation of residential recycling to producers.
The county is seeking consultants to lead the study, with proposals due by February 26, 2026. The review is driven in part by the new extended producer responsibility framework under which producers (the companies that supply packaging and paper products) are now responsible for funding and operating residential recycling; Circular Materials is the producer responsibility organization administering the program in Ontario.
Residents in the Town of The Blue Mountains have already seen waste costs jump significantly. A Collingwood Today report shows the town’s garbage collection contract rose from $1,390,000 in 2023 to $2,132,525 in 2024 — an increase of about 53% — putting extra pressure on local tax bills.
The study will also support local climate objectives set out in Grey County’s climate action reporting. County officials are assessing whether a shift from a lower-tier (town-level) model to an upper-tier (county-wide) model for garbage and organics collection would be more efficient, extend landfill life and better meet the county’s emissions-reduction goals.
This work follows the province-wide Blue Box transition completed January 1, 2026. The study has a projected delivery timeline of late 2026, and the final results are expected to be brought to county council then to inform decisions about the future of local landfills, compost programs and service delivery models.
