Ford vows fixes after Toronto blue bin pickup struggles under new system

Doug Ford Addresses Recycling Collection Issues in Toronto

Premier Doug Ford stated he will make changes to residential recycling collection if necessary after the province’s newly privatized system faced challenges in Toronto. Some blue bins were left uncollected as of Monday.

“The company that’s doing it, make no mistake, if it doesn’t work, we’ll change it,” Ford told reporters.

“If it’s not working, plain and simple, let’s make the changes — continuous improvement. But we’re going to do well, folks, I’m feeling positive,” he added.

Missed Recycling Pickups

Ford responded to questions about the new system after the first pickups, scheduled on two “special post-holiday collection dates,” were missed last week in several Toronto neighborhoods.

Blue bin collection was removed from Toronto as part of a provincial regulation that shifts recycling responsibility from the city to producers of blue box materials. This change took effect on January 1, 2026.

New Collection System Details

Circular Materials, a private company, has taken over the collection of recyclables for single-family homes, most multi-residential buildings, schools, long-term care facilities, and retirement homes. The changes do not apply to commercial buildings, city facilities, divisions or agencies, charities, institutions, or religious organizations.

Areas Affected by Uncollected Bins

Areas with uncollected blue bins included those west of Yonge Street, from the Humber River east to Yonge Street, extending from Steeles Avenue south to Lake Ontario. Homes east of Yonge Street, from Yonge Street east to Victoria Park, were also affected.

Local Reactions

Coun. Josh Matlow, who represents Toronto-St. Paul’s, reported hearing from several residents, including in Humewood and Leaside, about missed recycling pickups last week. Matlow believes privatization of residential recycling was a mistake, citing a lack of accountability and transparency.

“It’s not off to a good start,” Matlow said. “Recycling pickup is a basic service that people expect to be done and done well.” He believes it should remain a city service.

Matlow has reached out to the company and the province to express his concerns and demand better service.

Company Response

Allen Langdon, CEO of Circular Materials, stated that the company contacted its service provider, GFL Environmental. GFL confirmed that recycling collection did not occur for a “subset of households” in two districts in Toronto on January 2 and 3. Collection would resume starting Monday and continue throughout the week.

“This special collection was scheduled outside the regular recycling pickup cycle to support increased recycling volumes following the holiday season,” Langdon explained. He noted that residents involved would have received a postcard about the special collection dates.

“We apologize for any inconvenience and thank residents for their patience and engagement,” he added.

Expectations for the New System

Coun. Mike Colle, who represents Eglinton-Lawrence, expected some unpredictability with the new private recycling collection. He noted that the previous city-run program had few complaints over the years.

Colle advised residents to contact their MPP, the premier, or the private contractor if they encounter issues.

Resident Concerns

Mario Godlewski, a resident whose blue bin was not emptied, expressed frustration over the privatization of what he believes should be a public service. “It’s put off to someone else to do it,” he said. “And then they can all finger point and point at other people and it’s contracted and subcontracted. And it’s a mess.”