News Release
April 3, 2020

The City of Toronto is resuming yard waste collection for a period of two weeks, beginning Monday, April 6 to Friday, April 17. The start of seasonal yard waste collection was suspended as part of the City’s COVID-19 response to ensure staffing levels to continue the core collection of garbage, blue bin (recycling) and green bin (organics).

Residents are asked to put their yard waste out before 7 a.m. on their regularly scheduled garbage/yard waste collection day. To ensure health and safety, residents should only use yard waste bags, not open-top containers.

If yard waste is not picked up on collection day, residents are asked to leave it out. There is no need to call 311 to report a missed collection. Crews will be making their way across the city. Yard waste should not be brought to drop-off depots, which remain closed to the general public.

After the two-week period, the City will assess if it can continue to maintain the service during the COVID-19 response.

A reminder to residents that the following Solid Waste Management Services are also impacted, to ensure the health and safety of residents and staff and sustain operations:
• Drop-off depots are closed to the general public. Only those with an existing registered account can continue to bring material to Depots. No new account requests will be processed at this time. Cash will not be accepted and depots will not operate on Saturdays.
• Toxic Taxi services and household hazardous waste drop-off are suspended. Hazardous waste should be safely stored until services resume.
• Bin exchanges are suspended. Existing service requests will be completed once full service resumes. Bin repair and missing bin requests will continue to be processed.
• All community Environment Days scheduled in April, May and June have been cancelled.

The collection of garbage, recycling, organics, and oversized and metal items has not been impacted and will continue as scheduled. Residents are reminded:
• All personal hygiene/sanitary products, including tissues, wipes, masks and gloves should be disposed of in the garbage.
• Diapers can continue to be disposed of in the green bin.
• All material placed in garbage bins should be bagged, specifically cleaning products such as wipes, tissues/napkins and other sanitary/hygiene products.
• Waste collection on Good Friday (April 10) will take place as scheduled.

For more info about the COVID-10 impacts to Solid Waste Management Services visit https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/affected-city-services/?accordion=garbage-recycling-and-organics.

The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice and information about City services, social supports, and economic recovery measures. Check https://www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.

Quotes:

“We are doing everything we can at the City of Toronto to help make residents’ lives easier during this emergency. I want to thank our frontline workers in Solid Waste Management Services who are continuing to provide important services to Torontonians.”
– Mayor John Tory

“I’m proud that Solid Waste Management Services has continued to provide essential services throughout this pandemic. We have heard from residents and are ramping up yard waste collection to help them now. Even during this difficult time, City services remain vital for the safety and functionality of our city as we try to maintain normal routines wherever possible.”
– Councillor James Pasternak, Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee, York Centre (Ward 6)

“This is good news for so many Toronto residents. Many people staying home have asked for leaf pick up as they do their spring cleanup. Raking leaves in the yard is a safe way to get outside and get some exercise and I am glad the City is moving to support this effort.”
– Councillor Paula Fletcher, Toronto-Danforth (Ward 14)

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit http://www.toronto.ca or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CityofToronto, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.

Media Relations