New garbage pick-up program coming to Brampton and Caledon won’t cause disruptions, city says

Brampton and Caledon are teaming up to bring a new waste disposal service to residents while Mississauga will be going out on its own.

The move comes as the City of Brampton is getting a head-start on the transfer responsibilities for services like waste management, regional land use planning and wastewater from the Region of Peel to Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon.

Back in 2023, the province announced a decision to dissolve Peel and split Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon into separate, stand-alone municipalities.

But that plan was later scrapped by the province, instead deciding to shift financial responsibilities for key services under regional control to the individual municipalities.

The “download” of services is expected next year, but Brampton is looking to securing its own waste management services after passing a motion and bylaw in meetings on Wednesday, and the city now says it’s teamed with the Town of Caledon to “ensure that current service levels are maintained while also safeguarding long-term cost-efficiency, stability and service continuity for both municipalities.”

While residential waste collection services will be transferred to Brampton, community recycling centres will continue to be owned and operated by the Region of Peel.

“As part of this transition, the City of Brampton and the Town of Caledon will establish a partnership for the joint delivery of waste collection services in their communities,” the city says in a release.

Peel Regional Council passed a resolution on Thursday directing the municipalities “to begin planning the transition of waste collection services from the Region of Peel,” with staff staff from the region, the City of Brampton, the City of Mississauga and the Town of Caledon will forming a “working group to begin coordinated planning.”

“This collaborative approach will ensure all parties are aligned on financial planning, service levels and operational logistics, while minimizing the impact to residents,” the city says.

Waste management was previously under city jurisdiction prior ’90s, and the city says the transition “will improve service efficiency, streamline decision-making and empower Brampton and Caledon to tailor waste collection services to meet the needs of their growing populations.”

The city says it doesn’t expect any service disruptions once the download of services takes place.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown told city councillors on Wednesday that it’s “advantageous” for the city to strike out on its own rather than wait for the province, adding that “we may actually be able to find savings” for taxpayers.

A motion put forward by the mayor and a bylaw passed on Wednesday will see city staff look at bringing waste disposal under the city’s umbrella.