December 2025 Ramara Bulletin

The Township of Ramara follows its Winter Control Policy that meets the Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways, which includes staff providing plowing, sanding, ice treatment, and ice blading. 

Help our snowplow operators clear roads safely and quickly by doing the following:

• Ensure you vehicle doesn't block snow removal operations.
• Mailboxes are kept clear of snow.
• Garbage bins are visible, yet removed from the road allowance.
• When clearing your driveway, consider the direction of the snowplow. Move snow to the side of your property that the plow finishes on, so less snow is spread back across the driveway.
• Ensure snow is not put onto the roadway, or pushed/blown across the road.
• Keep children off snowbanks. Do not let children tunnel into snowbanks, as they can collapse or be pushed back by snowplows.
• Ensure snow piles do not block access in front or beside fire hydrants, catch basins, drains or culverts.
• As snow and ice builds up on the street, clearing the area around the drainage ditches will help to prevent flooding and property damage.

Stay informed during winter weather:

• Ontario 511 for real-time road conditions.
• Alertable for weather and emergency notifications.
• Use the Townships online reporting tool at ramara.ca/ReportIt to report road concerns.

Learn more about our winter operations in Ramara on our Winter Control page.

View our Parking in Ramara page to learn about the Resident Permit Parking Program, paid parking and parking restrictions.

A reminder to residents that starting January 1, 2026, residential recycling collection in Simcoe County will be managed by Circular Materials, a not-for-profit organization appointed by producers under Ontario’s new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework.

This province-wide transition shifts responsibility for the collection and processing of blue box materials from municipalities to producers of recyclable products. The County of Simcoe will continue to manage garbage and organics collection, as well as operate waste-drop off facilities as usual.

What to Expect - Same collection day, different trucks and collection times:

• As of January 1, 2026, your recycling will still be collected on the same day and using the same carts. The only difference is that it will be picked up by new trucks operated by Emterra Environmental Inc. (Emterra), on behalf of Circular Materials. Garbage and organics will continue to be collected by Miller Waste on behalf of the County.
• Recycling and organics will continue to be collected on the same day but handled by separate trucks from different contractors, meaning that collection will occur at different times due to distinct routing schedules.
• To ensure all materials are collected, on your collection weeks please place recycling and/or garbage and/or organics at the curb by 7 a.m. (or 6 a.m. in some downtown cores) on your scheduled collection day. Collection schedules will remain the same with garbage and recycling alternating weeks and organics collected weekly.

New contact for recycling inquiries:

• For questions related to recycling, such as collection schedules, missed pickups or cart repairs, please contact Emterra directly by phone at 1-888-597-1541 or customercareont@emterra.ca.

New material to be accepted:

• Under the new recycling system, Ontarians will be able to recycle the same materials curbside province-wide, with additional items being added to the program. Visit circularmaterials.ca/simcoe for updates on accepted materials.

Transfer station updates:

• Recycling drop-off at County transfer stations will include a disposal fee as of January 1, 2026, as the County will no longer receive provincial funding to offset net recycling costs. As of January 1, 2026, there will be a $10 minimum charge for recycling at a rate of $200/tonne. 

For more information, please visit simcoe.ca/RecyclingChange.

1. Holiday Lights: Check for damaged strands, use certified lights, and turn them off when you leave.
2. Tree Watering: Water real trees daily and keep them away from heat sources.
3. Candles & Decorations:  Keep candles away from anything that can burn; choose flameless when possible.
4. Smoke Alarms: Install on every storey and test monthly. Replace every 10 years.
5. Carbon Monoxide Alarms: Install outside bedrooms and on every storey; test monthly.
6. Extension Cords: Use certified cords, never link them, and don’t run them under rugs.
7. Kids in the Kitchen: Keep little hands and paws away from hot surfaces; assign safe tasks.
8. Home Escape Plan: Identify two exits per room, choose a meeting spot, and practice twice a year.
9. Safe Cooking: Stay in the kitchen, keep combustibles away from the stove, and keep a lid nearby.
10. Heating Safety: Clean chimneys yearly, use screens, plug space heaters directly into outlets.
11. Smoking Safety: Smoke outside, use deep ashtrays, and never smoke tired or in bed.
12. Lithium-Ion Batteries: Charge on hard surfaces, use proper chargers, and stop using damaged batteries.

The Township of Ramara's regular office hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., from Monday to Friday, with the exception of holidays. Outside of these hours, residents can contact the following:

• Bylaw Enforcement: Email bylaw@ramara.ca
• Canine Control (dogs at large and injured dogs): Call 705-623-7295 
• Open-Air Burning Complaints: Call 705-484-5374 ext. 253.
• Municipal Roads, Water or Sewer Emergencies: Call 705-484-5374 and select option 9

Non-emergency concerns for issues occurring within the Township of Ramara, and relating to the Township's areas of responsibility, can also be reported online. A valid email address is required to create a service request ticket.

Learn How to Report a Concern