Central Manitoulin Transfer Station Information

Hours of Operation

The Providence Bay Transfer Station is located at 4077 Government Road in Providence Bay. It is open:

Fall, Winter Spring: Thursday and Saturday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (September long weekend to May long weekend).

Summer Season: Thursday, Saturday and Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (May long weekend to September long weekend)

What Is Accepted at the Providence Bay Transfer Station?

The following items are accepted at the Providence Bay Transfer Station:

• Household Waste in a clear bag, tagged with a bag tag, properly sorted.
• Household recycling, properly sorted into co-mingle and fibres.
• Small loads of Construction and Demolition waste under 10 cubic yards.
• Scrap metal.
• White goods such as freezers, stoves, fridges.
• Bulky Items such as furniture.
• E-waste for recycling.
• Tires from a personal vehicle (no more than 4 per day per resident, some tires are not accepted).
• Clean brush & yard waste.
• Household paint cans, some types of lightbulbs and some types of batteries.

Each of these types of items is deposited in separate areas at the site. A properly sorted load will ensure that each of these types of items is able to be placed in the appropriate bin at site. Un-sorted loads will be turned away or the resident will be responsible to sort the items on-site. To learn more about what belongs in the different categories read on.

The following items are examples of the types of materials not accepted at the Providence Bay Transfer Station:

• Hot ashes.
• Leaf compost and yard clippings.
• Animal carcasses.
• Household Hazardous waste (other than household paint, some types of batteries and some types of lightbulbs).
• Large Loads of Construction and Demolition waste over 10 cubic yards per week.

Un-sorted or contaminated loads will be turned away or the resident will be responsible to sort the items on-site. Acceptance or rejection of loads is at the sole discretion of the landfill attendant.

Hours of Operation

The Big Lake Transfer Station is located at 81 Big Lake Dump Road at 3248 Highway 542. It is open:

Fall, Winter Spring: Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (September long weekend to May long weekend).

Summer Season: Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (May long weekend to September long weekend).

What Is Accepted at the Big Lake Transfer Station?

• Household Waste in a clear bag, tagged with a bag tag, properly sorted.
• Household recycling, properly sorted into co-mingle and fibres.

Note that the Big Lake Transfer Station accepts bagged household waste and recycling only. Bags must be no larger than 38” by 30” and weigh no more than 40 lbs each. No large items or waste from commercial sources is accepted at this location. Any large items, scrap metal, e-waste recycling, furniture, appliances, and small loads of construction waste must be brought to the Providence Bay Site for disposal.

Un-sorted or contaminated loads will be turned away or the resident will be responsible to sort the items on-site. Acceptance or rejection of loads is at the sole discretion of the landfill attendant.

Recycling

Household recycling may be brought to either the Big Lake or Providence Bay Transfer Station sites. The recycling must be separated into co-mingle and fibres as they are deposited into separate bins at the site. Recycling is mandatory. Any un-sorted loads will be turned away if the resident is un-able to sort the recycling from their garbage on-site.

Fibres include:

• Newsprint
• Magazines and catalogues
• Telephone books
• Household fine paper
• Corrugated Cardboard
• Boxboard
• Gable Top Cartons
• Aseptic Containers

Co-mingle includes:

• Aluminum food or beverage cans.
• Aluminum Foil and Trays.
• PET Bottles (#1)
• HDPE Containers (#2)
• Tubs and lids (#2, #4, #5)
• Other bottles and containers (numbers #1 through #6 only)
• Steel Food and Beverage Cans

Please note that the following items are not currently recyclable in the municipality.

• No glass of any kind (still accepted at the transfer station)
• No paper laminates
• No Thermoform PET (#1), clamshells or other clear plastic containers not listed in the accepted materials.
• No plastic film (LDPE/HDPE #2 & #4) or gift wrap
• No plastic laminates
• No polystyrene Foam (#6)
• No Polystyrene Crystal (#6)
• No plastic bags including grocery, milk or bread bags

Although the municipality is not currently able to offer glass recycling, it still accepts glass at the depots. The Provincial government has introduced a new regulatory framework that will be implemented by 2026 which is intended to standardize the list of materials that is recycled for residents across Ontario and glass is supposed to be included in the new list of materials. Visit the Circular Materials website for more information on the transition to producer responsibility.

The Providence Bay Transfer Station accepts electronic waste for recycling. These items must be kept separate and taken to the e-waste shed at the site. The following items are accepted at the e-waste shed:

Small quantities of household paint, coatings and lightbulbs are now accepted year-round at our Providence Bay Transfer Station and are also collected in the e-waste shed but, must be placed in the appropriate container for transfer offsite. See the household hazardous waste section below for further information on what paint, lightbulbs and batteries are accepted.

A Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event takes place every year in July, typically the third Saturday in July from 1 to 4pm at the Mindemoya Roads Yard at 7 Lakeshore Road in Mindemoya (off of Highway 542/551). The event is open to participants from Municipality of Central Manitoulin, and the Townships of Assiginack, Billings, Burpee and Mills, Gordon/Barrie Island, Tehkummah and Gore Bay. Details of the event will be announced annually and posted here and advertised in the local paper as well as on social media channels.

Small quantities of household paint, coatings and lightbulbs and batteries are now accepted year-round at our Providence Bay Transfer Station but must be placed in the appropriate container for transfer offsite.

Wondering what you can bring to Household Hazardous Waste Day?

The following items are accepted at the Household Hazardous Waste Day event held once per year in July in Central Manitoulin.

From your workbench:

• Adhesives, glues, resins
• Hobby supplies, artist supplies
• Latex, oil paints
• Stains, thinners and strippers, Varsol, solvents, Linseed oil

From your garage:

• Car batteries, dry cell batteries
• Engine degreasers, brake fluids
• Transmission Fluids
• Engine oil
• Antifreeze

From your yard:

• Insecticides, herbicides, Pesticides
• Propane cylinders (small)
• Swimming pool chemicals and bleach (do not mix)
• Wood preservatives
• BBQ lighter fluids.

From your house:

• Aerosol cans
• Cleaners (oven and drain), spot removers
• Batteries: Ni-Cad, hearing aid batteries
• Photo chemicals
• Pharmaceuticals
• Fluorescent light tubes and bulbs
• Nail polish and nail polish removers
• Rat and mouse poisons.

DO NOT BRING:

• Ammunition, fireworks or other explosives
• Infectious or biological waste
• Radioactive waste
• Unknown compressed gas cylinders
• Tires
• Old electronics.

To ensure safety, never mis chemicals and never smoke near hazardous materials. Do not place the hazardous waste in plastic garbage bags and always tighten caps and lids. Leave materials in the originally labeled containers. Sort and pack paint, pesticides, and household cleaners separately. Keep containers upright in a sturdy container with a secured bottom. Pack your vehicle, then go directly to the disposal event, do not leave the items in your car for a prolonged period.

What Household Hazardous Materials can I bring to the Providence Bay Transfer Station Year-Round?

We are now pleased to be able to offer collection of small amounts of household paint, lightbulbs and batteries year round at the Providence Bay Landfill site. These are collected in the e-waste shed and must be kept separate from other materials.

Leftover paint and coatings will be accepted at the site from residents in small amounts. The following items are accepted:

• Interior and Exterior Architectural Consumer Paint
• Latex
• Acrylic
• Water based
• Oil based
• Enamel
• Aerosol automotive paint
• Aerosol architectural paint
• Deck coatings
• Floor paint
• Varnishes and urethanes
• Concrete and masonry paints
• Primers for wood, metal and drywall
• Wood finishing oils
• Wood preservatives (unless registered under Pest Control Act)
• Non pesticide marine coatings, melamine, metal anti-rust paints, stains and shellac
• Stain blocking paint.
• Driveway and roof sealers.

Items must be on the accepted product list, must be in a sealed container, must have the original label intact and cannot exceed 30 litres per container.

Construction and Demolition Waste

Construction and demolition waste can not be picked up at curbside and must be taken directly to a waste disposal facility. Construction and demolition waste is not accepted at the Big Lake Transfer Station. Small loads of construction and demolition waste under 10 cubic yards will be collected at the Providence Bay Transfer Station with a $40.00 per cubic yard tipping fee. Acceptance of large loads over 10+ cubic yards has been suspended. Residents undertaking larger renovation projects must hire a bin directly or should contact the Dodge landfill site in Espanola which is the next closest site that will accept waste from our municipality. The contact information is provided below:

Contractor inquiries for over 10 sq yards of construction waste contact:

DODGE ESPANOLA LANDFILL SITE

1653 BASS LAKE RD

705 869 3867

Clean wood, brush, bulky furniture items, concrete, brick, scrap metal, and reusable materials must all be separated from construction and demolition waste.

Large items are only accepted at the Providence Bay Transfer Station. Tipping fees apply to all large items.

Appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are ozone depleting substances. These appliances are accepted at the Providence Bay site in a special collection area where the CFCs must be removed by a licensed technician before the appliances are able to be recycled for scrap metal.

Mattresses and box springs are handled separately from other bulk items and must be taken to a special collection area.

Any bulky items with significant amounts of metal (for example, pull-out couch) must be kept separate from the regular waste stream until the metal components are removed. Residents must remove the metal components prior to tipping and divert the metal components to be recycled in the scrap metal bin.

Other bulky items such as chairs, couches or other furniture must be tipped by the resident into the large item collection bin and tipping fees apply.

Clean Brush and Yard Waste

Small loads under 10 cubic yards of clean brush and yard waste are accepted at the Providence Bay Transfer Station site. These items must be kept separate from other materials and deposited in the designated area.

No sod, root balls, stumps from below ground level, gravel, soil, treenuts, vegetables or fruits should contaminate the pile. These items cannot be processed through the wood chipper and so must be kept out of the clean brush pile.

Acceptable items are:

• Small amounts of leaves
• Hedge and tree trimmings
• Twigs and branches
• Brush and other plant materials
• Natural Christmas trees
• Small amounts of garden trimmings.

We cannot accept leaf and yard trimmings in plastic bags, nor will we accept leaf and yard trimmings as household garbage. Yard waste must be placed in compostable paper yard trimmings bags. Bags must not weigh more than 40lbs. Brush and wood can be bundled or brought loose in a trailer.

We do not accept grass clippings. Grass clippings must be dealt with at-home through grass-cycling by leaving clippings on the lawn.

Residents who bring household waste to the landfill site will either need to bag their waste and tag it with a bag tag, OR pay a tipping fee for loose items or untagged bags. Household waste much be in a clear bag no larger than 38” by 30” and no heavier than 40 lbs.

All bags of household waste brought to either the Big Lake or Providence Bay Transfer Station must be tagged with a bag tag. Bag tags may be purchased at the Municipal Office (multiple methods of payment) or at the Transfer Station (cash only).

• Bag tags are $3.50 per tag and are sold in books of 10, although individual tags may be purchased.
• Bulky items such as couches, chairs or other furniture are $50.00 per item.
• Mattresses and Box Springs are $50.00 per item.
• White goods that contain refrigerant such as refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners are $50.00 per item.
• Scrap metal, large items, such as dryers, stoves, washers or water tanks are $15.00 per item.
• Small loads of construction & demolition materials under 10 cubic yards are charged at a rate of $40.00 per cubic yard.
• Small loads of clean brush and yard waste under 10 cubic yards are charged at a rate of $40.00 per cubic yard.
• Tires are free to tip if they are clean (not foam or concrete) and must be kept separate from other materials. Residents may bring a maximum of 4 tires per visit.

Large loads of brush over 10+ cubic yards are no longer accepted at our transfers stations.

Large loads of construction & demolition materials are no longer accepted at our transfer stations.

The transfer station sites are cash only. To pay tipping fees by other methods, you must pay in advance at the Municipal office and hand the receipt to the attendant at the site prior to tipping. If there is any discrepancy between the receipt and the load, the attendant will refuse the load at their sole discretion.

All residents must have a Transfer Station Identification Card to gain access to either the Big Lake or Providence Bay Transfer Stations. The Site Attendants may request to see these ID cards at the transfer station prior to depositing items at the site. Residents may be turned away if they do not produce the ID card when requested.

Long term renters should be provided an ID card by their landlord. Short term renters, campers and visitors will not be permitted access to the waste disposal sites as it is the responsibility of the owner of the short-term accommodation or campground to provide adequate disposal service to their patrons.

To obtain your Transfer Station I.D. card contact the Municipal Office.