Storm cleanup nearly complete

The County of Simcoe has collected more than 20,000 tonnes of brush since a severe ice storm in March wreaked havoc on local trees. To put that in context, average annual brush collection is about 4,400 tonnes. At various times, as many as 24 special crews worked on storm cleanup.

In an effort to assist residents with the cleanup, the county began accepting storm-related brush free of charge at all county waste facilities, extended operating hours, and established temporary brush drop-off sites in the hardest-hit areas. At the same time, rules on size and bundling of curbside waste were relaxed.

In May, a brush pickup request system was launched to allow residents to submit requests via phone, email or an online portal. More than 1,200 requests were received.

As of June 20, Simcoe County staff reported that chipper crews handling curbside collections have completed their work. Residents have until the end of June to drop off storm-related brush debris at waste facilities free of charge, after which regular fees will be reinstated.

Regular leaf and yard waste collection will resume the week of July 6.