Last month, the Mediation Services department of Alberta Jobs, Economy, Trade, and Immigration published their March 2026 Bargaining Update.
This monthly report provides information about the unionized workforce, primarily in Alberta.
In March 2026, Mediation Services received settlement information regarding 41 bargaining relationships encompassing 7,089 workers. There were 32 private sector and 9 public sector settlements, covering 5,496 and 1,593 workers respectively.
One of those collective agreements was between about 75 workers and Waste Connections of Canada.
Based out of Toronto, Waste Connections of Canada specializes in non-hazardous solid waste collection, recycling, composting, renewable energy, and landfill disposal services, including dumpster rental.
The company was formed in 2016 when Progressive Waste Solutions merged with the Texas-based Waste Connections, becoming the third largest waste management services corporation in North America.
They have numerous locations throughout Canada, including many in Alberta.
According to the union certificate issued by the Alberta Labour Relations Board in 2021, this new collective agreement covers all workers in the corporation’s Edmonton District and Sherwood Park transfer station except owner operators and those working in office, clerical and sales positions.
These workers are represented by Local 362 of the Teamsters.
Their previous collective agreement, which was for 3 years, expired at the end of 2025. The new agreement was ratified in February 2026, 2 months after the last one expired. It is supposed to last until December 2029.
Under the new contract, workers are supposed to receive wage increases in each year of the nearly 4-year contract.
| 15 February 2026 | 3.00% |
| 1 January 2027 | 3.00% |
| 1 January 2028 | 3.00% |
| 1 January 2029 | 4.00% |
| 13.00% |
They received a combined 11.5% in their previous collective agreement.
Because the contract is effective as of ratification, there will be no retroactive pay for January 2026 and some of February.
By the time the new agreement expires, the only workers who will be making less than $30 an hour will be labourers. As well, the hourly wage of licensed mechanics and licensed welders will pass the $50 mark by the end of the new agreement.
Here are some other changes to the new collective agreement.
The following was added to the agreement:
Should any route need alteration, be it yardage, route boundaries, or otherwise, 2 weeks of advance notice would be given to employees so they may adapt as necessary without undue stress or complications.
As was this clause:
All drivers and swampers will be paid at the applicable hourly rate for time lost due to mechanical failure of equipment, inclusive of regenerating trucks.
Disciplinary action has changed slightly. Under the previous collective agreement, a worker’s first violation regarding safety issues resulted in a 1-day suspension. Now, it will be a written warning. The disciplinary action for a second violation has changed from a 3–5-day suspension to a 1–5-day suspension.
Tool allowance has increased from $475 to $600 per calendar year.
The shift differential front-load drivers has changed:
| Old | New | |
|---|---|---|
| Roll-off | $1.54 per load | $1.59 per load |
| Front load driver | 1.545¢ per yard | 1.591¢ per yard |
| Hourly rate | $1.03 per hour | $1.06 per hour |
