Registered charities must have a licence from the City and permission from the property owner to place a clothing donation drop box and collect donated clothing for sale or redistribution.
- A clothing donation drop box is any outdoor container used for the purpose of collecting donated clothing on behalf of a registered charity
- A registered charity is defined by the Income Tax Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 1 (5th Supp.) and has a registration number issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
- A property owner is the owner or authorized agent for the location of the clothing donation drop box
Your licence expires annually, one year from the date it’s issued. A renewal notice will be sent to the email address on file. If no email is available, it’ll be mailed to you.
Requirements
- Proof you are 18 years of age or older
- Articles of incorporation, corporate profile report or Board of Directors list
- Charity registration information with CRA
- Business name registration
- Government-issued identification card, driver’s licence or Canadian passport
- Zoning Certificate of Occupancy or minor variance
- Site plan or survey identifying the location of the clothing donation drop box
- Consent letter from the property owner where the clothing donation drop box will be located, setting out clear authorization for the installation or storing of a clothing donation drop box
- Contact name, email address and number for the individual responsible for the clothing donation drop box. If there’s a third party business taking responsibility for maintenance of the bins, we also require a letter from the charity to authorize the person or business and the responsible party’s main contact information.
- General liability insurance showing a minimum of $2 million coverage endorsed to the City of Mississauga, stating “Placement of licensed clothing drop boxes in the City of Mississauga, as approved by the City.” in the location and description of work field
- Letter of authorization signed by the director, owner or business partners assigning an agent or contact to act on behalf of the business, if the director, owner or business partners are not available
- All clothing donation bins must be constructed with safe chute mechanisms, such as rolling or sliding chutes, that mitigate anti-theft and safety issues
- A signed statement from a third-party professional engineer that the bin’s design has been reviewed for potential safety risks and certifies that the design appropriately mitigates potential injury, with each permit application
Additional documents may be requested.
Peel Living
On Peel Living residential property, you also need to provide:
- Proof that a minor variance has been approved to allow its use
- A letter from the Region of Peel dated within 30 days of when the application is filed, confirming that the application relates to a clothing donation box that is currently affiliated with the Region of Peel’s textile collection program
Drop box specifications
A location can’t have more than two clothing donation drop boxes.
The boxes can’t be placed on or within:
- One metre of a parking space
- Three metres of a driveway entrance or exit
- Two metres of any property line
- A required landscaped area
Labels and signage
Drop boxes must have the following displayed on them:
- The licence sticker provided by the City
- The charity name and registration number in a conspicuous place, larger than 10 cm by 7.5 cm, in a contrasting colour from the box
- A notice on the box that all donated items must fit into the box, and prohibiting items that may cause a safety hazard, such as garbage, paint, soiled rags, gas, oil or batteries
- A pickup schedule of donations between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Once the license is issued, a license sticker will be provided to attach to the clothing donation drop box.
Maintenance
You must make sure the box is in good repair and always free of overflow and accumulation of goods, debris, litter and garbage outside the box. All labels and signage must be present.
Licence fees
A new licence costs $183.74.
A licence renewal costs $92.85.
How to apply or renew
You can apply for or renew your licence in person or by mail. Only complete applications will be reviewed.
In person
- Complete the business licence application and gather the required documents and approvals.
- Book an appointment for a new licence or a licence renewal.
- Bring your application and supporting documents to your appointment. The Licensing, Permits and Regulatory Services office is at 950 Burnhamthorpe Road West.
- Pay the licence fees.
By mail
Mail your completed business licence application, the supporting documents and a cheque payable to the City of Mississauga in the amount of the licence fee to:
Licensing, Permits and Regulatory Services
950 Burnhamthorpe Road West
Mississauga, ON L5C 3B4
Contact us
If you have any questions about licensing, call 311 (905-615-4311 outside city limits).