Solid Waste Master Plan

The City is developing a new Solid Waste Master Plan, to be completed in early 2024. 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.

Managing solid waste is a shared responsibility, and every resident has a part to play. That’s why, 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.

Three-item limit coming for curbside waste collection

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Starting Monday, September 30, the City will be implementing a three-item garbage limit for residents who receive curbside waste collection. This limit includes residents whose waste is collected in one shared location – often called a common pad – and those living on agricultural properties.

Ottawa has had a six-item garbage limit in place since 2007. This limit has been far more generous than many municipalities, including neighbouring communities around our city. The new limit helps us extend the life of our Trail Road Waste Facility Landfill as we explore new options for waste disposal.

What is considered an item in this new three-item garbage limit?

An item includes the following:
- a plastic waste bag
- a bin with a maximum capacity of up to 140 litres. Households can put several waste bags in a bin as long as the weight is less than 33 pounds (15 kilos) per bin.
- Furniture or bulky item that can’t be re-used or donated
Examples of acceptable three-item combinations include:
- one 140-litre bin, a plastic waste bag and a broken chair
- three 140-litre bins
- three plastic waste bags
- two 140 litre bins and one broken vacuum
Leaf and yard waste stored in paper leaf and yard waste bags do not count towards the limit. There will continue to be no limit to how much residents can set out through green, blue and black bins.
Yellow bags for excess waste

If your waste habits are anything like most Ottawa residents, you likely won’t experience any impacts on regular collection days. For those who need to go above the three-item limit, yellow bags can be purchased at participating retailers, including Home Hardware stores and Building Centres later this year, for $17.60 for a package of four. There is no limit to the number of yellow bags that are set out for collection.

Agricultural properties and other special considerations

The new three-item garbage limit will still apply to agricultural properties with residential homes who receive curbside collection. Residents will have opportunities to set out unavoidable farm waste without needing a yellow bag from Tuesday, April 1 to Saturday, May 31. This exemption is only available for agricultural properties already participating in all waste diversion programs, such as the blue, black and weekly green bin programs.

Other special considerations are available for residents who need to dispose of special items, such as home healthcare waste and diapers. You can visit the Garbage and Recycling webpage for more information on how to register for this program and where you can purchase yellow bags.

Tips for waste reduction

More than half of waste set out on garbage day can be recycled, composted or even reused. Outside of the City’s recycling and composting programs, there are a variety of programs and community groups that can give many of your unwanted items a second life.
- An unwanted item in your home might be high on your neighbour’s wish list. Many neighbourhoods have Buy Nothing groups, where members can post items to give, free of charge, to those who want them. Be sure to check Facebook or other local forums to see if there is one active in your community.
- Have an item you want to get rid of, but are unsure where it can be safely disposed? Check out the Waste Explorer. It can direct you to which bin an item goes in, or if it should be taken to a retailer running a Take It Back! program. You can visit the Waste Explorer online, or via the Ottawa Collection Calendar mobile app available for both Apple and Android devices.
- The City also hosts several events throughout the year where you can dispose of specialty waste, such as electronics or hazardous waste or even get an item repaired. Upcoming Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Waste events can be found by visiting the City’s Hazardous waste and special items webpage. The City has also sponsored several Repair Café events throughout the year. At these events, you can get an item assessed and repaired where possible by a volunteer from Ottawa Tool Library.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook(link is external), Twitter (formerly X) and Instagram.
Committee receives plan to roll out three-item garbage limit in the fall

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The Environment and Climate Change Committee today received an overview of the City’s plan to implement the Council-approved Curbside Waste Diversion Policy, which comes into effect on Monday, September 30.
The new policy, which allows households receiving curbside collection to set out three garbage items every two weeks, is one of several City initiatives to reduce the amount of unnecessary waste sent to the Trail Waste Facility Landfill and to reduce the climate impact of managing waste. More than half of what currently goes to the landfill could go in the green, blue or black bin, and if more waste is not diverted the landfill is expected to reach capacity within the next decade.
To guide residents through the change, the City will roll out a communications and outreach plan over the next several months, including tools and tips to help people divert more waste. Once the limit is in place there will be a two-month transition period to help residents adjust, focusing on education first and gradually moving to not collecting garbage over the limit in December.
In addition, the City will offer flexible options to help residents deal with unavoidable extra garbage. Residents will be able to purchase yellow bags that would not be counted against the three-item limit as a way to set out garbage over the limit on occasion. These bags are sold at locations throughout the city, including Client Service Centres and select Home Hardwares. The Special Considerations program offers collection of diapers, incontinence products, and home healthcare waste on off weeks. Agricultural properties with residential households who receive curbside collection will have a seasonal exemption period during which they can set out unlimited unavoidable farm waste.
The City has additional resources in place to manage the anticipated temporary increase in illegal dumping. Inspectors will monitor parks and public spaces and address illegal dumping on private properties. Residents can report illegal dumping online or by calling 3-1-1.
The Committee also 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.
Items considered at this meeting will rise to Council on Wednesday, May 29.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca, call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401) or 613-580-2400 to contact the City using Canada Video Relay Service. You can also connect with us through Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram.
Engagement Series 3 of the Solid Waste Master Plan is now complete

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The City of Ottawa would like to thank all residents and stakeholders who engaged with us by participating in Engagement Series 3 of the Solid Waste Master Plan.

We heard directly from hundreds of engaged residents at the in-person open houses, virtual information sessions, stakeholder and focus groups. We received hundreds of surveys, completed in multiple languages.

What's next? All feedback received has been tremendously valuable and will be used to assist in the development of the final Waste Plan, which will be presented to Committee and Council for approval this June.
A “What We Learned Report” will also be posted, outlining the results from this round of engagement.
To stay up to date and receive information related to the Solid Waste Master Plan subscribe to the Solid Waste Master Plan eNewsletter by clicking this link: https://forms.ottawa.ca/en/form/esubscriptions/signup-form

Engagement Series 3: Public Open-House and Information Sessions 

Engagement Series 3: Public Open-Houses and Virtual Information Sessions 

Join us at a public open-house or virtual information session to learn more, ask questions and provide feedback on the Draft Waste Plan.  Registration links to sign up for the virtual sessions can be found below. All sessions will be facilitated in English. 

The sessions will include opportunities for residents to ask questions about the draft Waste Plan and learn how earlier feedback from the public helped to shape the plan.  

The Draft Waste Plan Executive Summary provides a condensed overview of the plan's main points. It includes information on why and how the Waste Plan was developed, the recommended Actions in the plan and the potential impacts of those Actions.

For a short description of each of the 50 Waste Plan actions please visit Solid Waste Master Plan 50 Actions Summary

Take the survey to have your say on the Draft Waste Plan! Your feedback will help inform Council’s decision on the final Waste Plan.

Engagement Series 3 Survey: English

Engagement Series 3 Survey: French

Engagement Series 3 Survey: Spanish

Engagement Series 3 Survey: Arabic

Engagement Series 3 Survey: Simplified Chinese

If a resident does not have access to the internet to complete the survey, or would like additional support filling out the survey, contact the Waste Plan team by phone 613-580-2400 at extension 25550.

Information session discussions will be on the Waste Plan’s five areas of focus:  

Reduction and reuse of waste 
Recycling 
Waste and energy recovery, and the management of waste that remains after recyclable waste has been separated.  
Operational advancements  
Fostering a zero-waste culture across the city

Engagement Series 3: Virtual Information Sessions 

Name of Session	Date, Time, Location	Session Description	Registration Link
Draft Waste Plan: Virtual Information Session	Thursday, February 29  6:30 pm to 8:30 pm  Virtual: ZOOM	This virtual information session will allow participants to learn about the Draft Waste Plan and how feedback was included from the previous engagement series. The session will also feature a Q&A period and a chance to share feedback on the Draft Waste Plan.	Session has now closed.
Draft Waste Plan: Virtual Information Session	Wednesday, March 6  6:30 pm to 8:30 pm    Virtual: ZOOM	This virtual information session will allow participants to learn about the Draft Waste Plan and how feedback was included from the previous engagement series. The session will also feature a Q&A period and a chance to share feedback on the Draft Waste Plan.	Session has now closed.

 Should a resident require any accommodation to fully participate in a virtual information session, please e-mail wasteplan@ottawa.ca
or by telephone 613-580-2400 at extension 25550.

Engagement Series 3: In-person Open-House Sessions

Name of Session	Date, Time, Location	Session Description	Registration Information
Draft Waste Plan: Open-House	Thursday, February 15: Open-House Nepean Sportsplex: Richmond Ballroom 7 pm to 9 pm	This drop-in session will allow participants to learn about the Draft Waste Plan and how feedback was included from the previous engagement series. The session also offers the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to the Waste Plan team.	Drop-in event, pre-registration is not required.
Draft Waste Plan: Open-House	Friday, February 23: Open-House Cardel Recreation Complex: Main Hall 7 pm to 9pm	This drop-in session will allow participants to learn about the Draft Waste Plan and how feedback was included from the previous engagement series. The session also offers the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to the Waste Plan team.	Drop-in event, pre-registration is not required
Draft Waste Plan: Open-House	Monday, February 26: Open-House Tom Brown Arena: 7 pm to 9 pm	This drop-in session will allow participants to learn about the Draft Waste Plan and how feedback was included from the previous engagement series. The session also offers the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to the Waste Plan team.	Drop-in event, pre-registration is not required.
Draft Waste Plan: Open-House	Monday, March 4: Open-House Ray Friel Recreation Complex: -Rendez-Vous (Hall D) 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm	This drop-in session will allow participants to learn about the Draft Waste Plan and how feedback was included from the previous engagement series. The session also offers the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to the Waste Plan team.	Drop-in event, pre-registration is not required

Equity and inclusivity focus groups: 

Are you a young person, older adult, racialized resident, a new immigrant, person living with disabilities, or a member of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community? The City of Ottawa is organizing virtual focus groups to discuss the Draft Solid Waste Master Plan.  
 
The structure of the virtual focus group will be a presentation on the Draft Waste Plan, a period for feedback, questions and answers, followed by a small discussion on how the Draft Waste Plan directly impacts the community.  
 
If you are a member of this community and would like to attend a virtual focus group or receive information in another language, please contact wasteplan@ottawa.ca  

REMINDER!