Dear Resident,
As we settle into 2026, I want to wish you and your loved ones a healthy and happy New Year.
Major changes to residential recycling collection came into effect at the start of the year and I’d like to take the chance to comment on how that process unfolded. By order of the provincial government, the City of Toronto is no longer collecting residential recycling. That job has been handed to a private company called Circular Materials and the transition has been anything but smooth in our neighbourhood.
My office received hundreds of calls and emails from residents whose blue bins were missed on the first pick up of the new year. Approximately 10,000 households in our ward were promised a supplementary recycling pickup but for most, it never happened. After days of waiting, recycling was finally collected but the experience was frustrating, confusing, and unacceptable.
Let me be clear: I did not support taking recycling collection away from municipalities. The City of Toronto has the infrastructure, the experience, and the accountability mechanisms to deliver this service effectively. We have 311, our 24/7 call centre, local councillors’ offices, and decades of experience working directly with residents. When services are fully privatized, we often see costs go up and service quality go down. Delivering public services requires clear communication, accountability, and responsiveness — all of which need significant improvement.
My team has been working tirelessly to address each report that has come in. I encourage you to continue to let my office know of any future issues so that we can hold this provider accountable and push for better service going forward. My focus is on getting the best possible service for you under this new system and I’m hopeful that together we can achieve that.
Thank you to everyone who reached out. Your voices matter, and I will continue advocating for reliable, respectful service for our community.
If you would like to subscribe to my email updates to stay in the loop on City news, contact me at 416-338-5335 or councillor_perruzza@toronto.ca. You can also find information on social media and my website, www.anthonyperruzza.com. My constituency office is still conveniently located at 2350 Finch Avenue West (Weston and Finch) to serve you. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Yours truly,
City Councillor
Anthony Perruzza
Ward 7, Humber
River-Black Creek