Item - 2016.PW14.2

The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council approve the Long Term Waste Management Strategy, including recommended options and implementation plan, as presented in Attachment 1 to the report (June 2, 2016) from the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services.

2.  City Council authorize the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to negotiate and enter into any and all agreements and amending agreements necessary, subject to available funding, to implement the first five years of the Long Term Waste Management Strategy, as adopted by Council, on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

3.  City Council endorse a 70 per cent waste diversion rate target by Year 10 (2026) for City- managed residential customers.

4.  City Council endorse a goal of 70 per cent diversion of materials collected (Green Bin organics, Blue Bin recycling, garbage) by Year 10 (2026) from Industrial, Commercial and Institutional customers that receive City collection services.

5.  City Council endorse an aspirational goal to work towards a circular economy and zero waste future to align with the Provincial goal as part of the new Waste Free Ontario Act.

6.  City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to work with the Director of the Environment and Energy Division on the feasibility of developing a new Waste Diversion Community Investment Program for outreach and educational programming, funded as part of the Waste Strategy.

7.  City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to develop a plan to phase out the use of the extra large garbage bin for single family homes and report back to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on the phase-out plan and implementation schedule.

8.  City Council direct the General Manager of Solid Waste Management Services to report to Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, as part of the Long Term Waste Management Strategy implementation, with a plan to divert Construction, Renovation, and Demolition waste including:

a. Development of an educational pamphlet outlining opportunities to recycle or reuse construction materials provided to all applicants of any demolition, renovation or building permits; and

b. Feasibility and opportunities to partner with the architectural, development and construction salvage industries including education, promotion and opportunities to co-ordination of collection of salvageable materials at City of Toronto facilities.

9.  City Council direct the General Manager of Solid Waste and the Director of the Purchasing and Materials Management Division to explore the possibility of utilizing the services of community agencies and non-profit organizations to communicate and educate residents regarding waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

10.  City Council request the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to review and report back in 2017, on the programmatic, financial and schedule implications of adopting a target of zero organics found in residential garbage and in the garbage stream from all Divisions, Agencies, and Corporations (DACs).

11.  City Council request the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services to consult with external stakeholders and report back in 2017, on the feasibility of requiring all Multi-residential and Industrial, Commercial and Institutional buildings, regardless of collection provider, to develop and implement waste diversion programs that correspond with all waste diversion programs provided to customers serviced by the City of Toronto.

12.  City Council support Solid Waste Management Services and Municipal Licensing and Standards Divisions to work with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to develop a joint enforcement plan that would include Provincial compensation for City of Toronto Municipal By-law Officers to enforce Provincial waste regulations that require properties to provide waste diversion program services.

13.  City Council request the City Manager to form a cross-divisional Circular Economy Working Group, including Solid Waste Management Services, Environment and Energy, Toronto Water, Purchasing and Material Management and Facilities Management, among others, to develop a strategy and policy framework to make the City of Toronto the first municipality in the Province of Ontario with a circular economy and to align with the Provincial goal as part of the new Waste Free Ontario Act.

14.  City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, to include in the Waste Strategy's annual report card:

a.  Percentage of divertible waste found in the garbage stream (as assessed through waste audits);

b.  Waste diversion for non-residential City customers;

c.  Review of public education, awareness campaigns and outreach conducted; and

d.  Review of enforcement actions taken, classified by by-law and/or violation type.

15.  City Council direct the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services, as part of the Long Term Waste Management Strategy implementation, to create a Communications Advisory Group that would be used as a source of input and feedback on Solid Waste Management related waste reduction and diversion promotional, educational and communication (including multi-lingual) materials.

16.  City Council request that as part of the Strategy for a Waste Free Ontario: Building The Circular Economy ('the Strategy"), the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change update the Strategy to include language committing to a thorough review of the 3 R's regulations and revise these accordingly to take into considerations of new tools and a prioritization of waste diversion from the institutional, commercial and industrial sector including:

a.  Changes to the Urban Form to facilitate better diversion, for example, including consideration of dedicated plans for logistical waste diversion management requirements as part of Ontario's Building Code for Institutional, Commercial and Industrial (including multi-residential properties) buildings;

b.  Tackling Organics in the Institutional, Commercial and industrial Sector, as organic waste that is not recovered for diversion from landfill not only contributes to greenhouse gas emissions from transport to landfill, but is also a significant contributor to methane production in landfills; and

c.  Addressing diversion of Construction, Renovation and Demolition waste in the institutional, commercial and industrial sector through revision of regulations to support waste reduction and diversion in this sector so consumers and taxpayers have the opportunity to minimize and divert waste through the purchase of goods (i.e. options for reusable packaging, return to retail) and services.