Committee moves to explore long-term waste management solutions

Today the Environment and Climate Change Committee approved the next step in planning how to manage waste in the future. The City would take an in-depth look at three possible, proven options to ensure Ottawa is ready when the Trail Waste Facility Landfill reaches capacity.  The Committee considered the results of a feasibility study for proven technologies and solutions that support the City’s long-term waste management needs and the goals of the Solid Waste Master Plan. The City studied five different waste management options. After reviewing the environmental, technical, financial, and social impacts of each, three options will be considered in more detail: 

• Keep using the Trail Waste Facility Landfill and switch to private facilities when it’s full: This option is the simplest and least costly in the short term, but it comes with long-term risks. The City would rely on private companies, which could mean unpredictable costs and limited space. No capital investment would be needed, but tipping fees could be $44 million per year with the potential to be higher in the future. 
• Build a waste to energy incineration facility: This facility would burn waste to create energy and reduce landfill use by up to 77 per cent. While it would provide revenue from energy capture and could have a low environmental footprint, it’s expensive to build and operate. The estimated capital costs range from $497 million to $862 million, with annual operating costs of $47 million. Opportunities to offset the costs through partnerships would be explored through the next steps of this project. 
• Build a new landfill: Even with new technologies, the City would still need to manage some residual waste. A new landfill would be costly to build and challenging to find and approve a site, but it could produce less greenhouse gases than incineration. The estimated capital costs range from $439 million to $761 million, with annual operating costs of $15.6 million. 

City staff would do a deeper dive into the three selected options. This includes siting, updating tonnage projections, completing a regional capacity scan, consulting with the public, assessing procurement models, reviewing costs and timelines, and finalizing the business case. A final recommendation will be brought during the next Term of Council.  The City is also working to extend the life of the Trail landfill by six to 15 years through better waste diversion and a possible expansion within its existing boundaries. This will give the City the time needed to plan, approve, and build a new system to meet Ottawa’s growing waste needs. These efforts will help protect the environment, manage costs, and ensure Ottawa has a reliable waste system for decades to come.  Making it easier to dispose of household hazardous waste  The Committee approved a strategy to improve how residents can safely dispose of household hazardous waste like paint, batteries, and chemicals. Large collection events would continue, with at least nine planned each year in 2026 and 2027. To improve access citywide, the City would begin the detailed planning to pilot new micro-collection events in 2026. These smaller events will take place in different areas of the city and will make it easier for more residents with limited quantities of household hazardous waste to participate and keep this waste out of landfills.  The City would also explore establishing permanent multi-use drop-off depots in the future. This would allow residents a convenient year-round way to dispose of household hazardous waste and could include options for other divertible materials being considered as part of the actions outlined in the Solid Waste Master Plan. Staff would report back with long-term recommendations in 2027.   Keeping Ottawa’s drinking water safe and reliable  The Committee received an annual report reviewing how the City is managing the safety and quality of Ottawa’s drinking water, as required by Ontario’s Safe Drinking Water Act. This review helps Council ensure the Drinking Water Quality Management System is functioning properly, and that residents can be confident they will continue to receive clean, safe water.  The 2024 review results show that Ottawa’s water management system is working very well. The City passed all third-party audits with full marks and scored 100 per cent on important health indicators for water quality. Staff continue to improve the system and respond quickly to any potential problems. Since 2009, this system has helped ensure that Ottawa has some of the safest drinking water in the world.   Items approved at this meeting will rise to Council on Wednesday, June 25.