The city has received almost one thousand complaints during the first week of privatized garbage collection in Toronto, but the general manager of solid waste said some issues are to be expected as drivers and staff learn new routes.

The city switched garbage collection for 165,000 homes west of Yonge Street from unionized city-run pick up to private collection provided by Green For Life, starting on Tuesday.

Since then, the city has registered about 900 complaints, with homes reporting missed or late pickup.

“This week has been a terrible week, obviously, but it’s to be expected,” City of Toronto solid waste general manager Jim Harnum told CP24 Friday.

Harnum denied other media reports suggesting the city and Green For Life were clashing over late pick ups and scheduling, saying that both sides were speaking during frequent management conference calls during this first week.

Harnum said some trucks were behind on their first day of pick up, which threw everything off schedule, but he said service will improve.

“Each day, we’re getting better,” he said. “Next week is going to be a better week and we’re going to start fresh again. When you get behind at the beginning of the week, it’s difficult to catch up.”

He said that 99.5 per cent of residents will have received their trash pick up by the end of the day on Friday. Anyone left will have their trash picked up on Saturday.

Green For Life will also work over the weekend to pick up any additional material, including uncollected leaf and yard waste.

On point of contention between the city and the Green For Life remains just when the company will meet its 5 p.m. daily pick-up target.

While Green For Life has said it will be meeting 5 p.m. targets within six weeks, Harnum said the city is hoping to push the company to meet its target within two to four weeks.

The city has the power to impose financial penalties on Green For Life, should it fail to meet contract obligations.

But the city doesn’t intend to impose those penalties and prefers, instead, to work with Green For Life to address any issues as drivers and staff learn their new routes, Harnum said.

Switching garbage collection to a privatized service was one of Mayor Rob Ford’s campaign promises. The city estimates that the move will save $11 million in each year of service.

Garbage collection is still handled east of Yonge Street by unionized City of Toronto employees.