Most waste management businesses in Canada change hands at a multiple of their normalized earnings, typically EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), adjusted for owner add-backs. The multiple itself depends on your size, location, growth trajectory, and how much the business depends on you, the owner.
Waste and recycling companies are valued heavily on recurring collection contracts, route density, and owned assets like trucks and bins. Long-term municipal or commercial contracts, dense efficient routes, and a modern fleet lift value; month-to-month accounts, sparse routes, and aging trucks weigh it down.
Pushes the number up
- Long-term municipal and commercial collection contracts
- Dense, efficient routes
- An owned, modern fleet and bin inventory
- Low customer churn
Pulls the number down
- Month-to-month or easily cancelled accounts
- Sparse routes with high drive time
- Aging trucks due for replacement
- Landfill or tipping-fee exposure
You put in your numbers. We show you two things.
Market data: Sector-specific transaction multiples based on aggregated business transaction reports. Updated quarterly.
Peer benchmarks: Estimates from verified owners in your sector and size range. See what similar businesses are worth, and compare your own expectations against market data and transaction multiples.
Takes about three minutes.
No pitch. No account required. Just your numbers in, and market context out.
Get My InsightsWaste and recycling companies are valued as a multiple of normalized EBITDA. Contract length, route density, fleet condition, and churn all move the number. Clariva shows the benchmark range for your size and province.
Higher for companies with long-term contracts, dense routes, and a modern fleet; lower for those with month-to-month accounts and aging trucks. Enter your numbers to see your range.
Dense routes lower cost per stop and make the business more profitable and defensible, which buyers reward with a stronger offer.
No. The estimate is for benchmarking and context only, and does not replace a formal business valuation. For a transaction, work with an M&A advisor or a Chartered Business Valuator (CBV).
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Not financial advice. Clariva is a data aggregation and compilation tool. All ranges shown on this platform are derived from publicly available transaction data and anonymized user submissions, and are provided for informational and benchmarking purposes only. Nothing on this platform constitutes a formal business valuation, financial advice, or a recommendation to buy or sell. Consult a qualified M&A advisor, Chartered Business Valuator (CBV), or legal counsel before making any financial or transactional decisions. Individual data is never shared or sold. Anonymized, aggregated insights may be used for industry research. You can request deletion of your data at any time by emailing tanner@clariva.ca.