It’s a yard waste collection week in Georgina, with bi-weekly pickup continuing through the week of Dec. 7. There is no limit to the amount of yard waste residents can set out, provided it is placed in Kraft paper bags or clearly labelled containers, with brush bundled to a maximum of 90 centimetres in length and 22 kilograms in weight.

The Town of Newmarket is encouraging more residents to use their green bins by launching a neighbourhood outreach campaign from July 20 to August 14. Staff will visit randomly selected homes to share information about the program, while green bins and kitchen catchers will be available at discounted prices during the campaign. Residents are also invited to complete a waste management survey by August 2 for a chance to win one of three $50 gift cards to a local Newmarket business.

A new luxury housing development in Aurora will open its model homes this week, with Monteverdi Estates bringing 50 estate homes to the area near Yonge Street and Bloomington Road. While the developer says the project will fit in with the surrounding neighbourhood, some critics say luxury developments do little to help with the growing need for more affordable housing. The opening comes as the GTA housing market continues to recover after several challenging years.