Yesterday, I met with several of Aurora’s local tire businesses, along with Councillor Thompson and Fire Chief Rocco Volpe, to discuss a growing issue of scrap tires not being picked up in a timely manner for proper disposal. This isn’t just an Aurora issue, it’s affecting communities across Ontario.
Changes to the province’s tire recycling system have left many tire businesses waiting weeks or even months to have their scrap tires picked up. That means thousands of tires are piling up at local tire shops, creating concerns around fire safety, the environment, insurance, and property use – through no fault of the businesses.
After our meeting, I spoke with Ontario’s Minister of the Environment, Mike McCarthy, to share these concerns. He assured me the province is aware of the issue and new legislation is expected by early August to increase collection targets, strengthen enforcement, and include stiffer penalties for those who don’t meet their obligations.
Thank you to our local tire businesses for taking the time to meet with us and share their experiences. I’ll continue advocating on behalf of our local businesses with the province to get solutions that works for our businesses, protects public safety, and keeps tires moving through the recycling system the way they should.
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Effective tire recycling depends on collaboration between manufacturers, recyclers, and governments through producer responsibility programs. Such systems increase collection rates, promote responsible disposal, and ensure used tires are managed in a more sustainable and resource-efficient manner