County of Simcoe to provide brush collection to support residents following the ice storm

Midhurst/April 3, 2025 – In response to the recent ice storm, the County of Simcoe is deploying brush collection services starting on Monday, April 7, 2025, prioritizing the most impacted areas of the region, particularly Oro-Medonte, Ramara and Severn, which are in a continued declared emergency. The County, along with its waste collection contractor Miller Waste, has secured additional trucks and labour to collect brush exclusively for the next three weeks, and potentially longer. Normally, Miller Waste operates 6-8 trucks for spring yard waste collection, but starting April 14, there will be 10-11 trucks collecting daily.

As collection ramps up, we will do everything we can to deploy crews to areas where they will be most effective and will service other impacted communities as quickly as possible. We anticipate that it will take time to reach all areas of the County.

Additionally, to support the cleanup process, County of Simcoe waste drop-off sites will be accepting brush debris, free of charge, until April 28. For more information on waste drop-off locations and hours, please click here. The County is working to extend operating days at some waste drop-off facilities and are looking to provide other temporary locations for brush drop-off. Updates will be communicated as soon as details are confirmed.

For the next three weeks, only brush will be accepted curbside, not bagged leaf and yard waste or bagged brush. This allows crews to efficiently collect storm debris and process it into wood chips immediately. Regular waste collection will also continue during this time. Please leave your carts at the curb until they are collected.

Residents must prepare brush for curbside collection by bundling and securing it with natural twine, ensuring bundles are no larger than 2 meters in length and 30 cm in diameter, with individual branches not exceeding 7 cm in diameter. Logs are not accepted, and bundles should weigh no more than 20 kilograms.

We understand the collection preparation is time consuming, but proper preparation is needed to facilitate manual collection and ensure crew safety. These measures will also allow crews to work much faster and service more homes and areas. The County thanks residents in advance for their patience, cooperation and assistance.

The County will continue to communicate with residents through social media and the Simcoe County Collects App. Additional resources will be available starting April 14, with 10 or more trucks beginning in the most impacted areas of Zone 2 (those homes receiving garbage collection).  Areas not heavily impacted may not receive collection between April 14-25. An extra collection day is scheduled for Saturday April 19th, with potential additional Saturday collections.

The County’s Solid Waste Management By-law staff are working to actively educate residents on how to properly dispose of brush and measuring collection efforts. County staff will reassess in late April to determine if brush only collection will continue beyond April 28th.

*Collection may also occur on Saturdays to assist impacted areas.