After a Public Works Committee meeting on Tuesday, the City of Hamilton appears set to continue funding recycling pick-up for small businesses and other non-eligible properties until at least 2029.
Councillors voted 13-0 in favour of a motion from Councillor Jeff Beattie (Ward 10 – Stoney Creek-Fruitland-Winona), although the result will have to be ratified at City Council’s meeting on July 15.
In April 2026, the province’s recycling system changed, and producers were assigned the responsibility of collection, taking over costs from municipalities.
Municipalities used to collect recycling from residences and other properties like small businesses, places of worship, medical buildings, and city facilities.
However, under the new provincial system, only residences, specified long-term care homes, and schools are included in pick-ups.
During the 2026 budget approval process, Councillors passed a motion to continue providing blue box collection service for all non-eligible sources with the city’s current waste collection contractor until December 31, 2026, at a cost of $2.82 million.
There are approximately 2,700 non-eligible properties.
With time winding down until the end of the year, city staff brought forward a report on what other municipalities are doing.
Halton Region has continued municipal recycling collection for non-eligible sources, seven other municipalities have continued service but have registration requirements, eligibility criteria, and annual fees, and eight other municipalities examined have opted not to provide collection.
At the May 25, 2026, Public Works Committee, a motion was approved for Waste Management staff to provide information on options to continue the collection service to non-eligible sources beyond December 31, 2026.
Staff recommended either continuing the service for an additional year or extending collection to the end of the current waste collection contract, which is currently scheduled to end on March 31, 2029.
It should be noted that municipalities are still in charge of garbage collection.
Staff say that extending non-eligible property recycling collection to the end of the waste collection contract would allow them “to include the service as an option in the procurement for the next waste collection contract.”
The cost of recycling collection for the City of Hamilton would reportedly remain the same as 2026 – $2.82 million – for at least another year.
Costs beyond 2027 would reportedly be subject to annual contract escalations.
The Public Works Committee has heard from small businesses and multiple BIA directors, including Barton Village BIA executive director Nadine Ubl, who said that, if non-eligible properties do not receive municipal recycling collection then they would have to pay for private recycling.
She says that private collections are commonly in the range of $250 to $400 per month.
“For a small operator already managing rising rent, food costs, and staffing pressures, that’s a meaningful new monthly expense,” Ubl said.
“Are we really prepared to tell the small businesses that animate our neighbourhood corridors that they’re on their own for a core public service at the exact moment we’re asking them to keep investing in Hamilton, keep storefronts occupied, and keep our streets welcoming?”
Ubl also explained that recycling used to cost the city $18 million per year, with 50 per cent covered by the province and the other 50 per cent by the municipality, so continuing collection for non-eligible properties still leaves taxpayers with significant savings from the April 2026 system change.
Concern was also raised that the end of recycling collection would result in an increase in waste, with recyclable materials instead ending up in the landfill.
The Public Works Committee agreed, and, subject to ratification at City Council, recycling collection will continue.
Staff will also keep Council updated on options for continuing service beyond 2029.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
