Garbage Collection May Expand to River Valley & Kipling Starting July 1st

550 Homes Could be Added to Weekly Collection Route.

West Nipissing is exploring a significant step toward improving waste management services in the rural areas. A recent memo to council from the Director of Infrastructure, recommends that the municipality expand its garbage collection routes to include the communities of River Valley and Kipling, starting July 1, 2025.

This potential move comes as the province transitions residential Blue Box recycling to a producer responsibility model. As of July, a producer responsibility organization (PRO) will take over residential recycling services currently managed by West Nipissing Environmental Services (WNES). This shift provides an opportunity for WNES to repurpose resources and pivot operations to enhance waste collection across the municipality.

Currently, WNES uses a 2020 Freightliner truck to collect household recycling. With the transition of recycling responsibilities to the PRO, this vehicle could be reassigned to collect household solid waste. The proposed expansion would add approximately 550 homes in River Valley and Kipling to the curbside collection network, which already includes Sturgeon Falls, Cache Bay, Verner, Field, Crystal Falls, and North Monetville.

The expansion would require two days per week of additional service and is projected to cost $60,100 for the initial six-month period from July to December 2025 (likely $120,000 annualized beginning in 2026).

The memo highlights an additional benefit: homes receiving solid waste collection will also receive curbside recycling at no cost to the municipality, thanks to the new provincial system.

Not expanding curbside service presents a heightened risk of illegal dumping. Starting in January, residents without curbside pickup will no longer have access to recycling at local landfills, as the municipality will cease handling recycled materials under the new provincial system.

If successful, this pilot expansion could set the stage for broader service delivery improvements across other currently unserved areas in West Nipissing.

Council is expected to review the recommendation at this week’s meeting.

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