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Solid Waste User Fee Study

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Change is coming to Downtown waste collection! The provincial Blue Box Regulation has changed how recycling is operated and Guelph’s own Downtown Renewal Program will bring in enhanced waste infrastructure over the next decade.

A Council-approved user fee study is now underway to determine how industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) waste collection may continue and how it can be fairly and sustainably funded through these changes.

Our teams are going door to door this winter to speak with businesses and understand their needs and share a survey to gather information. We're also recruiting those interested to join a working group to find a solution that works for Downtown.

Do you own or manage a Downtown business, institution or property?

We've got two ways for you to get involved!

1) Take a survey

We want to hear from you so we can improve waste collection in the Downtown. Our survey can take between two to 15 minutes to complete depending on how you currently collect and manage waste in your business or property. Your time, information and comments will help us shape the future of waste Downtown.

Button to take users to the survey link

2) Join a working group

We're also developing a Working Group with diverse membership to represent the needs of our Downtown around a potential Solid Waste User Fee program.

This group will collaborate with City staff, explore options and impacts of a variety of programs and provide feedback to inform a next step for waste services and what the fee and administrative model might look like.

Take a moment to read the Terms of Reference or reach out to rob.reid@guelph.ca to learn about the structure, expectations and commitments of the Working Group. More information and a chance to express your interest in the working group is available in the form below.


Are you an organization interested in coordinating waste collection in our Downtown?

We want to connect with you too! Our City team is interested in learning about organizations who operate in our area and may express interest in providing waste services in the Downtown. Organizations will be invited to attend Working Group sessions as appropriate to learn about the study and to hear from and share information with the Downtown users directly.

Please reach out to rob.reid@guelph.ca to learn more about how your organization can get involved.

For more information and to contact the project team directly contact:

Robertson Reid, Project Manager
Solid Waste Resources, Environmental Services
519-822-1260 extension 2104
rob.reid@guelph.ca

or visit our website Downtown Solid Waste User Fee Study - City of Guelph

Change is coming to Downtown waste collection! The provincial Blue Box Regulation has changed how recycling is operated and Guelph’s own Downtown Renewal Program will bring in enhanced waste infrastructure over the next decade.

A Council-approved user fee study is now underway to determine how industrial, commercial and institutional (IC&I) waste collection may continue and how it can be fairly and sustainably funded through these changes.

Our teams are going door to door this winter to speak with businesses and understand their needs and share a survey to gather information. We're also recruiting those interested to join a working group to find a solution that works for Downtown.

Do you own or manage a Downtown business, institution or property?

We've got two ways for you to get involved!

1) Take a survey

We want to hear from you so we can improve waste collection in the Downtown. Our survey can take between two to 15 minutes to complete depending on how you currently collect and manage waste in your business or property. Your time, information and comments will help us shape the future of waste Downtown.

Button to take users to the survey link

2) Join a working group

We're also developing a Working Group with diverse membership to represent the needs of our Downtown around a potential Solid Waste User Fee program.

This group will collaborate with City staff, explore options and impacts of a variety of programs and provide feedback to inform a next step for waste services and what the fee and administrative model might look like.

Take a moment to read the Terms of Reference or reach out to rob.reid@guelph.ca to learn about the structure, expectations and commitments of the Working Group. More information and a chance to express your interest in the working group is available in the form below.


Are you an organization interested in coordinating waste collection in our Downtown?

We want to connect with you too! Our City team is interested in learning about organizations who operate in our area and may express interest in providing waste services in the Downtown. Organizations will be invited to attend Working Group sessions as appropriate to learn about the study and to hear from and share information with the Downtown users directly.

Please reach out to rob.reid@guelph.ca to learn more about how your organization can get involved.

For more information and to contact the project team directly contact:

Robertson Reid, Project Manager
Solid Waste Resources, Environmental Services
519-822-1260 extension 2104
rob.reid@guelph.ca

or visit our website Downtown Solid Waste User Fee Study - City of Guelph

  • Working Group application

    Seeking Downtown business, intuition and service managers and operators to join a City of Guelph working group to provide input and feedback to the Project Team. 

    We're developing a Working Group with diverse membership to represent the needs of our Downtown:

    • Food services
    • Retail
    • Offices
    • Health and personal care providers
    • Institutions, and
    • social services. and
    • property owners

    This group will collaborate with City staff, explore options and impacts of a variety of programs and provide feedback to inform a next step for waste services and what the fee and administrative model might look like. It is intended to be a forum for in-depth discussion of Downtown solid waste collection requirements, preferences, opportunities, and issues; working toward a shared understanding of users’ diverse needs and the development and refinement of solutions that meet them. 

    The Working Group's input will inform a recommendation to Council in Fall of 2025 on how to best implement a user fee for Downtown solid waste to maintain continuity and improvement of services through upcoming changes. 

    The working group is expected to meet over the following series of monthly sessions:

    • Late February: Introduction and Kick off meeting for the group
    • March: What level of service is desired?
    • April: How should the service be delivered?
    • May 2025: How will revenue be raised?
    • June 2025: Who will administer the service?

    Does this sound like something that interests you?

    Take a moment to read the Terms of Reference or reach out to rob.reid@guelph.ca to learn about the structure, expectations and commitments of the Working Group.

    To help us achieve a balance of businesses, institutions and services in the Downtown, we ask interested members to complete the application form below. Our team will follow up with all applicants later in February about the final group membership and to ensure those not on the formal Working Group have an opportunity to be heard.

    Share your interest with us by completing this short application form.

    Privacy statement:
    Participation is voluntary. Personal information, as defined by Section 2 of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (MFIPPA) is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, and in accordance with the provisions of the MFIPPA.

    For questions about the collection, use, and disclosure of this information please contact the program manager of Information, Privacy, and Elections at 519-822-1260 extension 2605 or privacy@guelph.ca

    Complete Form
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  • Downtown Waste Collection survey

    The information you provide will help us understand how businesses and property owners/managers use waste collection services within Downtown Guelph. For the Solid Waste User Fee Study, this information and the discussions at the study’s Working Group will be used to develop alternative user fee models; these options will be brought back to the Downtown community later this summer in a follow-up survey for feedback. 

    Participation in this survey is voluntary. This survey is intended for Downtown Guelph businesses (including services and institutions) and commercial/industrial property owners in the Downtown.

    In this survey, we will ask:

    • Information about your business or property
    • How you currently manage and dispose of various types of waste (garbage, recycling and organics)
      • How often you dispose of them
      • What types of bins or carts you currently use
    • If certain options being considered for waste collection and schedules may meet your needs in the future
      • If you have any concerns, comments or ideas to improve on those presented options

    At the end of the survey, we will share information and offer registration for additional programs that are open and seeking involvement from our business community.

    • The Solid Waste User Fee Study working group
    • A new pilot program beginning in May to improve Organic Waste collection
    • A program with our partner organization B12Give to redirect leftover food to reach those in need.



    Privacy statement: 

    Personal information, as defined by the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, and in accordance with the provisions of MFIPPA.  Personal information on this survey will be used to inform Downtown waste collection and related projects. If you have questions about this collection; use, and disclosure of this information, contact the City of Guelph’s Information and Access Coordinator at 519-822-1260 extension 2349 or by email at  privacy@guelph.ca  

    Take Survey
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Page last updated: 12 Mar 2025, 02:13 PM