Canton Township grants limited consent to Priority Waste ownership change, trustees demand safeguards

The Canton Township Board of Trustees authorized a limited consent document acknowledging a reported change in indirect equity ownership of Priority Waste LLC — specifically, that TPG, a private equity firm, acquired a controlling interest — while expressly reserving the township's contractual rights.

Deputy Supervisor (speaking for administration) said Priority Waste notified the township on April 15, 2026 that the transaction with TPG had closed and that Priority represented the change would not affect local waste collection. Township legal counsel prepared a revised limited consent to acknowledge the ownership transaction without amending service levels, pricing or terms of the existing contract and while preserving the township's ability to enforce contract provisions.

Several trustees voiced concern about private equity ownership. One trustee said, "Anytime there's a private equity firm involved, I get concerned," and asked the administration to keep contact information for competing firms. Another trustee urged monitoring the relationship closely and noted the township had not yet seen service impacts. The board secured a requirement in the limited consent that Priority provide proof of a current performance bond consistent with contract requirements.

The motion to approve the limited consent, subject to final attorney review, passed on a voice vote. Trustees asked staff to continue monitoring service quality and to maintain alternatives should performance decline.