Ottawa City Council recently approved a vision, guiding principles, and goals for its plan to manage Ottawa’s solid waste over the next 30 years.
The second phase of the Solid Waste Master Plan envisions a zero waste Ottawa and outlines actions to achieve that vision, including through collective changes to lifestyles and practices. The plan aims to extend the life of the city’s landfill at the Trail Waste Facility by reducing the waste generated, increasing how much is reused and recycled, and reducing waste-related greenhouse gas emissions by 100 per cent.
Staff will evaluate and narrow a high-level list of options that support the plan’s goals and develop two potential waste management systems. The city will consult on these with residents and stakeholders starting this fall. Council will then consider the draft master plan and five-year implementation plan in the first half of 2022.
In other environmental news for Ottawa, homeowners will soon have access to new financing to pay for home energy improvements and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Council also approved the launch of the Better Homes Loan Program , which uses funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to offer residents low-interest loans tied to their properties through local improvement charges.
Residents could qualify for funding up to $125,000 or 10 per cent of their home’s value for eligible improvements, which include upgrades for space and water heating and for renewable energy systems. The program will launch later this year for an initial term of three years.
