E-Blast: Time to Talk Trash—Again

Back when I first joined Council, we didn’t talk as much about the housing shortage, traffic, or endless construction as we do now. Toronto wasn’t growing nearly as quickly as it is now. You might ask, “What on earth did people talk about all day?” We talked about garbage. Endlessly.

When the Provincial government of the mid-nineties forced the amalgamation of the six municipalities that made up Metro Toronto, the debate over what to do with our waste had already been raging for almost a decade. Metro had landfills in York Region and Scarborough/Durham, but they were reaching capacity.

The very first amalgamated Council of the new megacity of Toronto was immediately divided over a controversial proposal. An abandoned open-pit mine called Adams Mine, located in Northern Ontario near Kirkland Lake, was offered as a solution to Toronto’s disposal needs. The idea raised serious environmental concerns.

In 2000, Toronto City Council debated the issue for three straight days. The way councillors voted on Adams Mine became the defining ballot issue in that fall’s municipal election. In the end, Council listened to the voices of residents in Kirkland Lake and nearby First Nations communities, who feared contamination of their land and water. Council voted not to proceed with Adams Mine. Instead, we began shipping Toronto’s residual waste to an established landfill in upstate Michigan. Today, we own our own landfill, Green Lane, located southwest of London, Ontario.

Green Lane is expected to reach capacity by 2030. So here we are again. It is time to talk about Toronto’s waste future.

The City is now in the process of updating our Long-Term Waste Strategy, which will guide how we manage garbage for decades to come. The most urgent decision on the table is how to handle the portion of waste that cannot be recycled or composted. This is where the debate comes in. The two main disposal options under consideration are building a new landfill or developing an incinerator facility.

The City has launched an online survey as part of the early consultation. It is worth participating, although I will say it’s a little one-sided and light on information. So, let’s get up to speed.

Some Good News

While waste disposal remains an ongoing challenge for every city, environmental regulations and technology have helped improve our options. Landfills must now be built on specific land types, typically those with clay-based soil that helps prevent contaminants from leaching into the groundwater. Each new section of a landfill must be lined to protect the water supply. Over time, landfills decompose waste and generate methane. Today, methane capture systems can convert that gas into energy. Green Lane now has such a system in place.

There have also been innovations in incineration. While there is still no incinerator that produces zero emissions, newer systems can capture by-products and use them to create energy. Proponents of incineration like to call these “Energy-from-Waste Facilities” but the reality is that in almost every case, both landfills and incinerators are converting gases into energy at some volume because there is a market for it.

Cost, Complexity, and What Comes Next

As the debate over landfill versus incineration ramps up, both sides will claim to be more cost-effective. The truth is, neither option is cheap. Land suitable for landfill use is hard to find and very expensive, especially once sellers know a city like Toronto is interested. Environmental approvals and operational costs also add to the price tag. Incinerators are equally costly to build and operate, and they are often difficult to get approved anywhere.

Solid Waste Management Services has been preparing for this for years. The reserve fund that will pay for the next solution was built through the waste bin rate structure. The more you’ve done to reduce your waste—by sorting, reusing, and choosing a smaller black bin—the more fairly you’ll contribute to that future cost.

I encourage you to take the Solid Waste survey using the knowledge and perspective you have today. Your input is an important part of getting this conversation started. Complete the survey by June 29 and consider attending the upcoming public event, Bin There, Done That: What’s Next?, on June 10. It’s a chance to speak directly with City staff, ask questions, and share your ideas.

This is just the beginning of a longer process, and there will be more opportunities to engage and learn. I’ll continue to share what I learn along the way so we can make an informed, responsible choice about how Toronto manages its waste in the years ahead.

The next step will be a report to the Infrastructure Committee. This report will include survey results, and the research gathered so far by City staff. It will also lay out staff’s preferred option between landfill and energy-from-waste. Even if Council agrees on a direction, this decision will still go through many more stages, including the environmental approval process and extensive public consultation—especially if new infrastructure is proposed.

What You Can Do Right Now

Because every option is expensive, I am asking you once again to be as intentional and conscientious as possible when it comes to waste. When was the last time you used the Waste Wizard online tool? Have you downloaded the TOwaste app to make sure you “Know Before You Throw”? Whatever solution we land on, we need to do everything we can to reduce the volume of waste we produce.

The City’s Solid Waste Division offers excellent guidance on how to work toward zero waste. There are also international resources you can turn to. Here is one group’s list of the bare minimum we should all be doing by now:

You can go even further by embracing the circular economy. Choose products with return or reuse systems and minimal packaging. Donate items rather than discarding them. During gift-giving seasons, consider offering consumables or shared experiences instead of physical items. For example, give the gift of food or a promise to attend a concert or film together. This holiday season, make memories instead of garbage.

Looking Ahead

We have come a long way since the early days of waste debates at City Hall, but the core challenge remains: how to responsibly manage what we leave behind. This decision will shape how we treat our environment, how we spend public dollars, and how we meet our climate goals for generations to come. I hope you will stay engaged, ask questions, and keep doing your part to reduce waste at home. I’ll continue to keep you informed every step of the way, because everyone in Toronto deserves a voice in how we build a cleaner, more sustainable future.