Curbside Residential Organics
A city-wide curbside organics program is being planned for a spring 2023 roll-out.
The new program will be an increase in service from the current subscription-based program; accepting more organic material and introducing year-round bi-weekly collections. The additional organic material to be accepted includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Baked goods
- Bread, cereal and pasta
- Dairy products
- Salad dressings, and other condiments
- Meats
- Food soiled napkins
- Waxed paper
- Fats and cooking oils
Why is this important?
Approximately 32% of total regional waste is organic. Keeping organic waste out of the landfill reduces the strain on garbage collection systems and increases the lifespan of landfills. It avoids the creation of harmful greenhouse gases and leachate that occurs when organic matter breaks down in landfills.
Mandatory, co-mingled green cart for year-round collection of food and yard waste provides the highest waste diversion potential (estimated at 26,000 tonnes). It is anticipated that resident participation will be high as it will have less of a learning curve than recycling and residents will not be required to separate food and yard waste. The cart will also prodive adequate capacity for all property types.
For information on Organics, please see the Fact Sheet.
Decision History
In September 2020, the City announced a long-term contract with Green Prairie Environmental LTD for processing curbside organic materials from the single-family residential sector starting in 2023.
In 2020, $10,000,000 was allocated to the Curbside Organics Program from the Federal Gas Tax Fund for the purchase of green carts.
On March 25th, 2019, City Council resolved to fund the Curbside Organics Program and waste collections through a multi-year funding strategy, allocating 1% of property tax each year for 2020, 2021, and 2022. In 2023, the property tax allocation is to be 0.93% and will be the first year of the curbside organics program and new waste service level of bi-weekly collections in the summer.
Further planning and program development are set to resume in 2021.