10-year wait before Burlington expands leaf collection program to new neighbourhoods

It will be at least 10 years more years before trees are mature enough for the loose leaf collection program to expand into new Burlington neighbourhoods.

The loose leaf pick up supplements the Region of Halton’s bagged yard waste pickup program in areas where leaf drop volumes are high and where, for whatever reason, the bag collection is not viable.

A report about the program presented at a recent City committee meeting pointed out that at takes about 25 years before trees are mature enough in emerging neighbourhoods to warrant the loose leaf pick up.

The next likely place for expansion is Alton Village located north of Dundas St. and south of Hwy 407.

According to the report, expansion of collection area coverage is usually under the direction of City council but has aligned with development growth and generally limited to areas within the urban boundary.

“It is staff’s experience that newer developments have smaller caliper trees and therefore generate lower leaf volumes than older and more mature areas of the city,” the report reads. “On this basis, staff recommend that a minimum development age threshold of 25 years be established for future service expansions, with the primary service for leaf disposal in these areas being the Region of Halton’s bagged yard waste pickup service.”

The report goes on to say that Alton Village is the next likely location for collection but at 15 years old the community is at least 10 years away. If council decided to act now on Alton Village it would increase costs by $24,000 annually.

Meanwhile, the report recommends that loose leaf collection program continue along the same path as last year which means that those areas that are eligible will continue with a single pick-up during a three week period later in the year with no significant changes to the collection schedule or zone boundaries.

Program costs incurred for the 2022 collection program were $816,000 and exceeded the annual budget of $720,000 and was due to increase costs.