Council approves changes to its 2026 garbage collection contract
Council approved changes to curbside waste collection that will take effect in 2026, with the City’s next collection contract.
The new contract will include some service changes. Residents will need to set out leaf and yard waste separate from the Green Bin, but on the same day. The collection schedule will change from five days a week to four (Monday to Thursday) to prioritize both service to residents and collection efficiencies.
The City will also divert up to 60,000 tonnes of garbage per year from the Trail Waste Facility landfill by using private landfills in the east and west. This will extend the life of the City’s landfill by at least two years. The five current collection zones will be consolidated into to three larger zones to improve efficiency, reduce the impact of increasing costs and ensure daily service levels are met. The City will inform all affected residents before changes take effect.
Council received the Audit of the Prevention of Workplace Violence and Harassment. The Auditor General made nine recommendations that the City agrees with and is in the process of implementing. All nine recommendations will be implemented by the end of 2024.
The City is following best practices and is consulting with departments to update the governance of workplace violence and harassment, with a focus on prevention. Work is underway to improve policies and procedures in a holistic way and to develop training suited to the specific needs of departments and groups. The City will centralize complaint investigation to ensure a consistent approach across the organization. In line with the Audit's recommendations, the City has also established timelines for sharing reports with complainants and respondents after an investigation is complete.
Council approved a zoning amendment and application to alter 352 Somerset Street West, the designated heritage building better known as Somerset House. The building partially collapsed in 2007 during renovation and has remained vacant and in a deteriorated condition ever since. The proposed development includes the restoration and stabilization of the historic building and the construction of a three-storey addition at the back of the existing building.
Council also approved designating the Highland Park Lawn Bowling Club under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act. Located on Golden Avenue in Westboro, the property consists of a one-storey clubhouse built around 1914, along with outbuildings and lawn bowling greens. As one of the few surviving greenspaces and lawn bowling clubs in the area, it has served as a community sports hub for over a century and has become part of the City’s sporting heritage.
Council approved a new by-law for outdoor clothing donation boxes in Ottawa, including a mandatory permit system and regulations, to come into effect January 31, 2024. Clothing donation box owners will need a City permit and will need to follow regulations around box placement, signage, safety and maintenance. The proposed annual permit fee is $500, plus $150 per box operated by the permit holder. The by-law will help the City address common concerns about outdoor clothing donations boxes, including items left outside of boxes, waste and debris, locations, incorrect or misleading information on boxes, boxes placed on private property without consent, theft, vandalism and illegal dumping.
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