Changes Coming to the Curb
There are many changes coming to curbside waste collection in Barrie between 2024 and 2026. Starting May 1, 2024, collection will look different for residents and businesses.
As per Barrie's collection schedule, recycling boxes are collected every week. Please sort your waste for collection and have it curbside by 7am.
The City provides an extensive curbside recycling program for both businesses and residents. Recyclables should be separated into two separate boxes based on the type of material.
Collection Schedule
Recycling is collected weekly in Barrie, with different areas having pickup on different days. Please have your materials curbside by 7am on your collection day.
Residental & Non-Residential Collection
For residental and non-residential collection, there are multiple ways to determine your curbside collection schedule:
- Refer to the map in the Waste Collection Calendar.
- Look up your address.
- Search your address using the interactive map.
- Call 705-739-4219 (Mon–Fri, 8:30am–4:30pm) and staff will look up your collection day based on your address.
- Download the City's mobile app and look up your address under Your Collection Schedule.
Multi-Residential CollectionFor collection at multi-residential buildings (6 units or more) please refer to the Multi-Residential Collection Calendar for schedule information regarding recycling carts collection. The City's new curbside collection contract begins May 1, 2024, which will bring changes to the collection schedule and frequency. Please stay tuned for more information, including the May–December 2024 calendar.
Recycling boxes must not exceed 20kgs (45lbs) per box when placed out for collection. Residential households receive unlimited collection of recycling boxes every week.
The City recommends a minimum of one 95-gallon cart for every 7 multi-residential units, but there is no limit on the amount of recycling carts that can be placed out for collection. All carts are provided to each building free of charge and are collected every week.
Outside of the Downtown BIA: Weekly collection for recycling on the scheduled collection day for their area. There is a limit four blue boxes, one grey box and five bundles of cardboard are allowed each week.
Within the Downtown BIA: Weekly recycling collection occurs on Tuesdays. There is a limit four blue boxes, one grey box and five bundles of cardboard are allowed each week.
Cardboard must be flattened and bundled no larger than 75 cm x 75 cm x 20 cm.
As of May 1, residential blue and grey recycling boxes will no longer be provided by the City. Please contact Emterra Environmental at customeront@emterra.ca or 1-888-597-1541 for information about replacement recycling bins after May 1.
This change is happening as part of a provincial regulation where the City is no longer responsible for residential recycling. A not-for-profit organization will be responsible for collecting and managing residential recycling in Barrie, through their contractor. See all changes coming to the curb.
Delivery Option
Effective at end of day on April 12, 2024, delivery is no longer an option for residential recycling boxes as the City of Barrie transitions to a new contractor starting May 1.
Pickup Locations
- City Hall, 70 Collier Street (Service Barrie, first floor)
- Allandale Recreation Centre, 190 Bayview Drive
- East Bayfield Community Centre, 80 Livingstone Street East
- Peggy Hill Team Community Centre, 171 Mapleton Avenue
- City of Barrie Landfill, 272 Ferndale Drive North. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 8:30am–3:30pm. The Waste and Recycling Depot located through the scalehouse at the top of the hill is open year-round. The Recycling Depot located at the lower gate area of the landfill is open April to November only.
There is no charge for recycling boxes. Upon pickup, photo identification proving Barrie residency must be provided. A maximum of two boxes is provided per visit (any combination of blue and grey).
Each multi-residential property is supplied with unlimited small reusable recycling bags to help store recyclable material and transport it to the building's recycling collection area. Once the bags are full they can be emptied into your building's large recycling carts. These bags are available at no charge. If you do not have bags, please contact your property manager or site superintendent.
Recycling bins are provided for free and can be picked up from the following locations:
- City Hall, 70 Collier Street (Service Barrie, first floor)
- Allandale Recreation Centre, 190 Bayview Drive
- East Bayfield Community Centre, 80 Livingstone Street East
- Peggy Hill Team Community Centre, 171 Mapleton Avenue
- City of Barrie Landfill, 272 Ferndale Drive North. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 8:30am–3:30pm. The Waste and Recycling Depot located through the scalehouse at the top of the hill is open year-round. The Recycling Depot located at the lower gate area of the landfill is open April to November only.
Upon pickup, photo identification proving Barrie residency must be provided. A maximum of two boxes is provided per visit (any combination of blue and grey).
Damaged boxes can be returned to the landfill (272 Ferndale Drive North) where they are recycled free of charge.
Accepted Recycling Items
Please refer to the item lookup tool to check for specific items if not listed below.
Acceptable items for blue containers box:
- Empty aerosol cans.
Remove the lid and dispensing nozzle (if possible) from the empty can before placing in your Blue Box. Aerosol cans that are not empty must be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at the landfill site. - Empty, dry paint cans.
Remove the lid to allow the remaining paint to dry & place both can and lid in your Blue Box. Can sizes are limited to 4 litres & under. Paint cans that are not empty must be taken to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at the landfill site. - Plastic retail and grocery bags.
Bags must be clean & empty. Remove any receipts or materials from the bags, put all bags inside one plastic retail or grocery bag or a clear plastic bag, and tie shut before placing in your Blue Box. Please do not use dark garbage bags as the collectors cannot identify if the bag contains recycling or garbage.
Tip: Do the stretch test! If the plastic stretches when you pull on it, it's acceptable in the Blue Box (exemption: plastic – clingy / film / Saran – wrap is not accepted). - Aluminum trays, pie plates and clean aluminum foil
- Tetra Pak boxes Juice and milk cartons
- Plastic food and beverage containers, bottles, jugs, tubs, styrene trays and lids
- Glass food and beverage bottles and jars
No need to remove labels - Food and beverage cans
Push lids down inside, no need to remove labels - Spiral cardboard cans
The plastic strip around frozen juice cans is not acceptable but please include the metal portions - Bulk packing styrofoam providing it fits into a standard size blue box
No styrofoam peanuts
- Empty aerosol cans.
Acceptable items for grey (paper) box
- Telephone books and magazines
- All household paper including newspapers, photocopy paper, hardcover books (without the cover) envelopes, gift wrap, cards and paper bags (without foil or plastic coating)
- Boxboard and egg cartons
Remove all plastic wrap and food liner bags, flatten box, place inside another box - Cardboard
Flattened and bundled no larger than 75cmx75cmx20cm. Place in or beside recycling box, limit of five bundles per week for each business establishment, no limit for residents
Unacceptable items for both the blue and grey boxes include:
- medical waste
- motor oil or pesticide containers
- ceramics, textiles
- plastic wrap or plastic toys
- plastic plant trays & pots
- paper or waxed cups
- drinking glasses
- broken glass
- dishes
- light bulbs
- window panes, mirrors, etc.
- kitty litter or pet waste
- wooden orange crates
- appliances
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many changes coming to curbside waste collection in Barrie between 2024 and 2026. Starting May 1, 2024, collection will look different for residents and businesses.
Please ensure materials are curbside by 7am for collection. Collectors are permitted to complete their routes between 7am and 6pm. Routing changes, which could affect collection times, can occur for a number of reasons such as weather, road closures and vehicle breakdowns. Placing materials curbside by 7am each day helps ensure collection
Recyclables are taken to an offsite material recovery facility where they are separated and sent to various recycling markets. The materials are then transformed into products that are used in everyday activities. Examples of these transformations are provided below:
Original Material Transformed Into Newspaper Cracker Box Corrugated Cardboard Box Paper Tubes Empty Aluminum Juice or Pop Can Full Aluminum Juice or Pop Can Glass Bottle or Jar New glass jars and bottles Drinking Box Toilet Paper Juice Bottle or Pop Bottle Fleece Outerwear Vitamin Bottle Plastic Lumber Yogurt Cup Ice Scraper Meat Tray CD Case The City of Barrie has a two-stream recycling program where paper products are collected and processed separately from glass, plastic and metal containers. Mixing these materials together contaminates the recyclables for the end market, resulting in more waste and less valuable recycling. Please separate your recyclables:
- paper materials into one box, and container recyclables into the second box.
OR - grey box for paper recyclables, and blue box for container recyclables.
Unsorted materials will not be collected.
- paper materials into one box, and container recyclables into the second box.
To prevent debris from blowing out of your paper recycling box please place the recycling box with your containers on top of it. Place lighter items such as shredded paper inside cardboard items or at the bottom of your box to prevent them from blowing out.
Programs that provide cart-style recycling bins must employ an automated collection vehicle. The City’s current collection contract is based on a manual collection service; anything with a capacity greater than 125 litres and/or weight greater than 45 lbs is not safe for a manual lift by the collectors.
There are many changes coming to curbside waste collection in Barrie between 2024 and 2026. Residential recycling (blue and grey box) material will no longer be collected by the City effective May 1, 2024. A not-for-profit organization called Circular Materials will be financially responsible for collecting and managing residential recycling in Barrie, through a contractor. After January 1, 2026, Circular Materials may make changes to the way recycling is collected (e.g. materials collected, collection mechanism, etc.). Learn more about the changes coming to curbside collection.