Solid Waste Master Plan
The City is developing a new Solid Waste Master Plan, to be completed in 2023. The plan will guide how we manage solid waste over the next 30 years. As Ottawa grows and changes, we want to ensure our waste services evolve to meet new needs and challenges. This page will be your hub for updates and opportunities to provide feedback.
Nothing has been decided yet – your input counts!
Managing solid waste is a shared responsibility, and every resident has a part to play. That’s why, over the next two years, we need meaningful conversations with you to help ensure the new Solid Waste Master Plan works for everyone.
If you require assistance or are experiencing technical problems with this page, please contact us at wasteplan@ottawa.ca.
The City is developing a new Solid Waste Master Plan, to be completed in 2023. The plan will guide how we manage solid waste over the next 30 years. As Ottawa grows and changes, we want to ensure our waste services evolve to meet new needs and challenges. This page will be your hub for updates and opportunities to provide feedback.
Nothing has been decided yet – your input counts!
Managing solid waste is a shared responsibility, and every resident has a part to play. That’s why, over the next two years, we need meaningful conversations with you to help ensure the new Solid Waste Master Plan works for everyone.
If you require assistance or are experiencing technical problems with this page, please contact us at wasteplan@ottawa.ca.
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We'd love to hear your ideas on how the City should prioritize the short list of Waste Plan options, the draft Solid Waste Plan, and Engagement Series 2!
bluegreen3 months agoeverybody should compost food scraps
hand out countertop composting units like those advertised on-line (loamy?) to everyone who does not have a back-yard composter, to avoid the terrible mess & stink of the green bins
0 comment1bluegreen3 months agoAppliances
Nowadays appliances have a much shorter lifespan than they used to; appliances producers should be punished for that, not rewarded, because they clog up the landfill and take forever to break down. One remedy would be to have a central appliance collection facility where discarded appliances get a second look and would be repaired if possible and resold to people who cannot afford new appliances.
0 comment0ELC_9053 months agoComposting for businesses
Cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. These surely produce the most organic waste. Make this as easy as possible for them, possibly with a direct to business pickup or separate dumpsters.
1 comment2daffy duck3 months agoThe city should look at other cities around the world to see if they have good methods of waste management.Is o waste feasible!
Ottawa is one million people much less than say Montreal or Toronto. Maybe a private company to help go through the different waste and dispose of them.
1 comment2gahrdng2 months agoBusinesses Take Back Containers for Reuse
In the "old days", the milkman would take empty milk bottles back, to clean and reuse. The City should incentivize a way for residents to return empty jars, bottles, cans, etc. to the businesses who sell the products, so that they can fill them again. Recycling is great but reusing is better!
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Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkCLOSED: This ideas has concluded.Shea8 months ago
Clear Bags is the most equitable option
Tags and reductions are unfair to larger households and to those with limited income. Switching to clear bags treats all households the same—if you don't compost/recycle then no trash pick up. Charging me for tags isn't going to encourage me to reduce waste as I can afford to buy as many tags as I need, the same cannot be said of low income households. Furthermore, applying the same bag limit on every household is completely unfair when some people live alone and others may have large multigenerational families.
3 comments2fedup8 months agoCost of Garbage Police?
Paying for people to check clear garbage bags? people having to buy special bags so "police"can check contents. Money better spent in other areas.
2 comments1KotaSaya9 months agoOttawa City challenge
Would it help to have in your education and awareness program examples of real-life Ottawans who are already able to live out their daily lives while respecting the new garbage limits? Would it help to turn it into a city-wide challenge and encourage all of us to contribute meaningfully to this recovery program?
2 comments2RiverGreen3 months agoLarger Families / Extra items
I don't really support implementing a cost for 'extra' garbage. Some families are large - there may be 10 people in a home. It doesn't mean that garbage should be more; this was especially poignant as during Covid, many people moved in with families, and so households naturally became bigger. Also, there may be times when one simply has more garbage - moving (own waste + any waste left by previous owner/tenant), holidays, birthdays, etc. What an extra fee will do, will result in people illegally dumping at local businesses wherever there is a bin, or even on neighbour's property. It's just not really a feasible option, when there are so many other options on the table.
0 comment0LisaMJ7 months agoSpecifically engage restaurants and grocery stores to find best ways to have them participate in the collection of compostable materials.
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Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkCLOSED: This ideas has concluded.GeorginaOttawa9 months ago
Restaurant/Food Store Composting
All businesses must compost to achieve zero waste.
1 comment1FES11 months agoUse suitable waste to build up knolls and hills in flat recreation areas to enhance pleasure and exercise.
For example, parks in flat land where hiking or cross-country skiing is or can be done. This gives the activity very much more pleasure and exercise value. This should include the vast tracts of flat land held for recreational purposes by the NCC. Where the area is wooded, the occasional hill that gives the user a view from a height adds greatly to the pleasure of the outing. Once each knoll or hill has the desired shape and height it can be covered over with soil and natural ground cover.
1 comment3SandyHill5 months agoMaking Compost and Recycling Mandatory
Ottawa needs to start enforcing recycling and composting punishable by a fine. It is 2021, recycling and composting is not a new concept to anyone but it seems that Ottawa is lagging behind the rest of Canada. With a 43% diversion rate in 2019, Ottawa could be doing much better than it is by simply imposing fines on people that chose not to recycle. There is no excuse not to be doing so, there is an app that shows people what is recyclable or compostable, and it gives reminders on the days that recycling and compost need to be put out. It is evident that people are simply not recycling or composting as they AREN’T REQUIRED TO by the city, why would people go out of their way to do something they don’t have to? This has clearly been shown time and time again, people are lazy, they simply do what is easiest for them (throwing everything in the trash). I do believe it is time to implement mandatory recycling and composting to create that push that people need to start. Other cities have started doing so and have been greatly successful in doing so such as the city of Vancouver. “Food scraps separation has been mandatory for residents and businesses in Metro Vancouver since January 2015. This applies to apartments and condos as well as detached homes.” If Vancouver can do this, for more than 7 years, I think that it’s about time that Ottawa does so as well. As well there should be fines for individuals improperly recycling, or an indication as to why something wasn’t recycled. « At Metro Vancouver disposal facilities, loads are inspected for banned materials that shouldn’t be in the garbage, such as recyclable materials, product stewardship materials, or hazardous materials that pose a risk to waste collection workers, the public, or the environment. Surcharges apply if these materials are found in the garbage at Metro Vancouver disposal facilities. A $65 minimum surcharge, plus the potential cost of removal, clean-up or remediation will be applied to loads containing banned hazardous and operational impact materials or product stewardship materials.»
0 comment1kurtis labelle10 months agoNegative Externalities
Any plan to consider must take in negative externalities. A book I just finished reading referred directly to the concept of limiting household garbage and changing people behaviours. Many cities with limits on household garbage, such as bag tags have found out the hard way, people flushing food and refuse down the toilet, leaving their garbage in public places parks etc, using commercial waste bins, overloading recycling bins with non recyclable products etc., that there are many negative externalities that occur. To me incineration while still attempting to change peoples behaviour over time is most likely the best solution, though starting another waste management facility would also work. I understand that deciding on those things might be career suicide for a politician, but we do have to worry about the negative externalities of these decisions.
2 comments1John D Clarke9 months agoClear bags and other options have to accommodate residents who use garbage bins and no regular garbage bags.
Bins often contain smaller grocery type bags which are opaque. Need to have better bag recycling for these types of bags.
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How do you reduce or avoid making waste?
3 months agoCLOSED: This brainstormer has concluded.We'd love to hear your ideas on how you reduce and avoid making waste at home or at work.
BrorJacealmost 2 years agoBack to recycling basics
When I was in Elementary school we were taught this relatively new thing called recycling. I don't remember the specifics but it was along the lines of If you see a 1or 2 in the recycling triangle then recycle it, if you see a 3-4-5 then it's not recyclable here. No BS about a list of 50,000 items.
0 comment04Wheatensalmost 2 years agoBurn what ever you can...
the City can take this as a suggestion for controlling city waste, since there are reliable and effective systems in Canada and around the world that can turn waste into power while at the same time reducing the impact on the environment and avoiding a toxic waste dump.
0 comment2Intiaz Rahimalmost 2 years agoRecycling required for construction sites
I work in the industry and we contribute so much landfill waste. I've always wondered why there's never any large bins on construction sites. The tonnage must be massive.
0 comment2Jellybeanalmost 2 years agoIncinerate anything that isn’t compostable and generate electricity
0 comment0joesalmost 2 years agoIn the context of the Covid pandemic, I felt uncomfortable picking up litter (e.g., licked straws and cups)- please reduce litter for COVID!
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Timeline
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Solid Waste Master Plan roadmap approved by Council
Solid Waste Master Plan has finished this stageJuly 2019
Council approved the scope and framework for the development of the City of Ottawa’s 30-year Solid Waste Master Plan.
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Phase 1: Where We Are
Solid Waste Master Plan has finished this stageFebruary to April 2020
We’ll share information on the development of the Solid Waste Master Plan, including a series of backgrounders coming in February and March on some of the key issues.
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Phase 2: Where We Are Going
Solid Waste Master Plan is currently at this stageJanuary to February 2022
We’ll engage with the public on the current system and get input to help inform a vision and guiding principles for the plan.
Quarter 3, 2022
Staff to table recommended vision, objectives and guiding principles for the strategy for Council’s Consideration.
Quarter 4, 2022
We’ll present options and recommendations for the plan and seek further comment and feedback from the public.
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Phase 3: How We Will Get There
this is an upcoming stage for Solid Waste Master PlanQuarter 4, 2022
Staff to table draft strategy and short-term implementation plan for Council’s consideration before final round of public engagement.
Quarter 4, 2022
Public engagement on the draft Waste Plan and short-term implementation plan.
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Approval of final Solid Waste Master Plan
this is an upcoming stage for Solid Waste Master PlanCouncil will consider a final Solid Waste Master Plan that incorporates all the feedback we collected. Councillors are anticipated to vote on that plan in the second half of 2022.
Who's listening
Technical Memorandums
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Technical Memorandums
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Current State System Summary (4.27 MB) (pdf)
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Current State System Summary - Appendices (2.68 MB) (pdf)
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Legislative Review (2.19 MB) (pdf)
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Comparative Scan of Municipal Strategies, Practices and Initiatives (1.88 MB) (pdf)
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Review of Policies and Trends (2.22 MB) (pdf)
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Waste Management Technologies and Approaches (1.96 MB) (pdf)
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Long-Term Waste Management Needs (5.06 MB) (pdf)
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High Level Long List of Options (7.82 MB) (pdf)
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Evaluation Process (1.74 MB) (pdf)
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Phase 1 Report
Technical Memorandums - Executive summaries
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Technical Memorandums – Executive Summaries
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Current State System Summary – Executive Summary (504 KB) (pdf)
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Legislative Review – Executive Summary (373 KB) (pdf)
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Comparative Scan of Municipal Strategies, Practices and Initiatives - Executive Summary (364 KB) (pdf)
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Review of Policies and Trends - Executive Summary (380 KB) (pdf)
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Waste Management Technologies and Approaches - Executive Summary (377 KB) (pdf)
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Technical Memorandums
Documents
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Why is the Waste Plan needed and what are the key considerations? (181 KB) (pdf)
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What will be included and how will the Waste Plan be developed? (198 KB) (pdf)
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Bioplastics and their management (207 KB) (pdf)
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Current Waste Management System (317 KB) (pdf)
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions (169 KB) (pdf)
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Key Challenges for Multi-Residential Waste Management (570 KB) (pdf)
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New and emerging technologies in waste management (159 KB) (pdf)
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Plastics and their Management (184 KB) (pdf)
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The Circular Economy and Extended Producer Responsibility (176 KB) (pdf)
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The Role of the Federal, Provincial and Municipal Governments (297 KB) (pdf)
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Waste Management Trends and Challenges (238 KB) (pdf)
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Waste Processing and End Market Challenges (201 KB) (pdf)
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Glossary.pdf (163 KB) (pdf)
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Arabic (772 KB) (pdf)
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ES2 Documents
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French (674 KB) (pdf)
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Somali (656 KB) (pdf)
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Spanish (653 KB) (pdf)
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Chinese (712 KB) (pdf)
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Nepali (766 KB) (pdf)
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Farsi (788 KB) (pdf)
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Anishinaabemowin (671 KB) (pdf)
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Inuktitut (725 KB) (pdf)
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English (731 KB) (pdf)
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Survey_InformationSheet_EN.pdf (129 KB) (pdf)
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2021 03 21_SWMPEngagement_InformationSession_ENFR.pdf (640 KB) (pdf)
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2022-03-24_TakingtheLead_ENFR.pdf (535 KB) (pdf)
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2022-03-28_BeyondCurbsideCollection_ENFR.pdf (548 KB) (pdf)
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2022-04-07_Out in the public_ENFR (676 KB) (pdf)
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2022-04-11_Reducing GHG Emissions_ENFR.pdf (782 KB) (pdf)
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2022-04-13_Waste Plan Information Session_ENFR.pdf (643 KB) (pdf)
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2022 05 03_MultiResidentialProperites_Presentaton.pdf (728 KB) (pdf)
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2022-05-05_Residual Waste_ENFR.pdf (861 KB) (pdf)
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