PEEL REGION — Major changes are on the way for garbage collection in Peel, as Brampton, Mississauga, and Caledon prepare to take over waste management responsibilities from the Region of Peel over the next two years.
Effective January 1, 2026, the cities of Brampton and Mississauga will assume control of garbage collection services. Meanwhile, Caledon will enter into a waste collection partnership with Brampton, beginning in September 2027.
The change follows a joint decision by local councils and Peel Regional Council, which voted to transfer waste collection responsibilities from the regional to the municipal level — a move aimed at improving service efficiency, local control, and long-term cost stability.
Brampton and Caledon to Partner on Waste Services
In a statement released March 20, the City of Brampton confirmed that planning is now underway for the transition.
“This move aims to streamline operations and enhance service delivery at the local level,” the city said. “Brampton and Caledon will establish a partnership to jointly deliver waste collection services, ensuring current service levels are maintained and future service continuity is protected.”
Caledon Mayor Annette Groves emphasized that residents should expect no changes to curbside pickup in the immediate future.
“Caledon will partner with the City of Brampton on a service contract to collect waste from our residents when the regional waste contract expires in September 2027,” said Groves.
No Disruption Expected, Recycling Centres to Stay with Region
Despite the changes, no service disruptions are anticipated. Existing contracts will remain in place during the transition, and community recycling centres will continue to be owned and operated by the Region of Peel.
The City of Mississauga is also preparing to take over waste collection services, along with the ownership of two recycling plants, beginning in July 2026 — slightly earlier than initially planned.
From Regional Reform to Local Responsibility
The transition is the latest development in Peel’s evolving municipal structure. In 2023, the province appointed the Peel Transition Board to oversee the dissolution of the Region of Peel. However, that plan was abandoned in December 2023, and the board’s mandate was redirected toward finding efficiencies between the regional and local governments.
By the end of 2024, the province had already approved the downloading of regional roads and signaled that Mississauga would take over certain waste services by mid-2026.
Though the province originally intended for Brampton and Caledon to remain under regional waste services after 2026, Peel Regional Council and local municipalities have now chosen to move forward independently.
Transition Committee and Working Group to Guide the Shift
To ensure a smooth handover, a regional transition committee will be established, with staff from all three municipalities and the region forming a working group to coordinate efforts.
“This collaborative approach will align financial planning, service levels, and operational logistics — minimizing impact on residents,” Brampton’s release stated.
Back to the Future: Local Control Restored
This shift returns garbage collection duties to municipal control, a structure that existed prior to the regionalization of services in the 1990s.
By doing so, officials say municipalities like Brampton and Caledon will be better positioned to tailor services to meet the specific needs of their growing populations, improve responsiveness, and simplify decision-making.
The transformation is underway — and by 2026, waste collection across Peel will look very different, with city halls, not regional council chambers, taking the lead.
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