Multi-Residential Waste Diversion Strategy
The City of Ottawa is developing a Multi-Residential Waste Diversion Strategy as a component projects of the broader Solid Waste Master Plan. The Strategy will provide recommendations on how to increase waste diversion in the multi-residential sector by reviewing, enhancing, and developing pilots, policies and initiatives designed to increase participation and engagement in programs offered by the City.
The City provides waste collection services to approximately 2,150 multi-residential properties. Waste audit studies show that 74% of all waste disposed of at multi-residential properties is thrown in the garbage, and 58% could be diverted through recycling and green bin programs.
Aiming to increase waste diversion supports both provincial direction and City initiatives:
- The Province’s Food and Organic Waste Policy Statement provides direction to multi-residential properties to increase waste reduction and resource recovery of food and organic waste. The Provincial target for multi-residential properties is 50% waste reduction and recovery of food and organic waste by 2025.
- The Province of Ontario is committed to phasing out food and organic waste from landfills by 2030.
- The City’s Energy Evolution project calls for 98% organics diversion from landfill and 100% diversion of paper products.
The project is recommending five pillars to support increasing waste diversion at multi-residential properties. Each pillar will include project recommendations to support the pillars:
- Expanding organics diversion to all multi-residential properties
- Enhancing promotion and education (P&E)
- Exploring pilots
- Dedicating and redesigning space for waste disposal programs
- Driving change moving forward through the collection contract
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Council receives update on multi-residential mandatory organics implementation plan
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On May 29, 2024, Council received an update on the implementation of the multi-residential waste diversion strategy. which requires multi-residential properties to participate in the Green Bin program in order to receive waste collection services from the City. Multi-residential buildings account for 17 per cent of residential waste collected by the City. Of the multi-residential waste sent to landfill, about 58 per cent could have been recycled or put in the green bin. Providing these properties with the opportunity to divert organic waste helps the City reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while in turn prolonging the life of the Trail Waste Facility Landfill.
The City currently collects waste from approximately 2,300 multi-residential properties, of which about 52 per cent have a Green Bin program. From Q3 2024 to the end of 2028 the City will onboard the remaining properties through a mandatory process. The City will support residents with dedicated education and outreach to help them use a green bin, and work with property managers to address challenges and successfully introduce the program at their properties.
The total cost for onboarding all remaining properties is approximately $5.6 million over the next four years. This report also provided an update on the 2026 multi-residential collection contract, which includes new provisions to improve efficiency and to align with the City’s waste diversion initiatives.
To view the report visit Multi-Residential Waste Diversion Strategy Update
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Email wasteplan@ottawa.ca
