In February 2020, the City Council approved the Green Bin Program budget, which separates residential waste into three separate bins: organic compost (green bin), recyclable materials (blue bin), garbage. It was initially scheduled for fall 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the project launch date to this summer. However, there was another delay.

City staff now expect that the green bins will not be rolled out until sometime between July 2023 and October 2023.

Jay Stanford, Director of Climate Change, Environment, and Waste, admitted: "I have to work with an optimistic schedule." Stanford's report to the Civic Business Committee points to the ongoing parts shortage affecting the delivery of 26 collection trucks ordered by the city.

Only 13 truck bodies have fixed dates when they are being sent to the manufacturer.

But the build schedules for the remaining trucks are still uncertain. Stanford explained: "I really hate to use the word 'hope,' but we know that 13 trucks will be here next year, but we need at least 80 percent of the vehicles available to roll out a city-wide program in London."

This latest delay means that London remains the largest community in Ontario without a green organic waste program.