Champlain Township will test a waste collection application for three months beginning in November as it transitions away from mailing annual collection calendars to households. On Thursday, October 15, Communication and Community Development Officer Zoe Fortin-Larocque outlined SnapCycle’s Circuit application to council.
Fortin-Larocque said the Township plans to introduce Circuit while maintaining limited printed options for residents who prefer them.
For approximately five years, Champlain Township has mailed annual waste collection calendars. However, because Canada Post delivery routes do not align with municipal boundaries, approximately 5,500 calendars must be printed to reach about 3,750 Champlain households.
The 2026 calendar cost approximately $4,250, including $3,135 for printing and $1,115 for mailing. The transition comes as waste collection contractors expect garbage and recycling routes to change during 2027 to improve efficiency, potentially making a full-year printed calendar outdated.
Circuit is expected to cost approximately $5,000 to $6,000 annually. The application will allow residents to view collection schedules, set reminders, receive notifications about service disruptions, and get disposal guidance by taking photos of items. Residents will also be able to locate waste drop-off sites and report missed collections through the application.
For 2027, the Township plans to send households a one-time rack card introducing the application, explaining how to register for reminders and notifications, promoting its online waste collection tools, and providing information about the new online tax portal.
Quarterly printed collection calendars will be available at municipal offices, the library, and potentially at local Canada Post offices, if permitted. The calendars will also be available in PDF format on the Township’s website.
During the council discussion, Councillor Sarah Bigelow welcomed the proposed changes, citing longstanding concerns about the Township’s website and how quickly information reaches residents.
“One of the main issues that I’ve heard in the past eight years is that our website is not user-friendly. We don’t give out information fast enough,” she said.
Bigelow said the application’s ability to provide timely notifications about service problems would be beneficial, while printed materials would remain available for residents who are less comfortable with technology.
“I like the fact that we are still going to be printing some things for people who may not be technologically inclined,” Bigelow said.
Councillor Peter Barton asked whether the application would carry advertisements, whether the Township could recover any costs through advertising revenue, and whether it could be used to communicate with residents during emergencies.
Fortin-Larocque said the application would not carry advertisements, as the Township wanted to avoid mixing public information with advertising.
Fortin-Larocque said the Township was not planning to use the third-party application for broader emergency communications at this time. Instead, it intends to rely on its website as its primary communication channel, with an existing SMS alert system that still needs to be tested.
Council unanimously received the report, with Councillor Ginette Clément absent.
The Township will also use its website, social media, newsletter, and electronic signs to inform residents of collection route or schedule changes.
