---
title: "Ottawa asks residents to weigh in on landfill and waste-to-energy options by December 14"
description: "The City of Ottawa is running a public survey until December 14 on two options for handling waste once the current landfill fills in 12 to 15 years."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/on/ottawa-2026/news/ottawa-waste-management-survey-november-2026"
last_updated: "2026-11-10T22:16:46.321Z"
---

The City of Ottawa opened a public survey on November 9 asking residents to weigh in on how the city should handle its garbage once the current landfill runs out of room. The survey closes December 14.

CTV News reported Monday that the city's landfill is projected to reach capacity within 12 to 15 years. With that deadline approaching, the city is asking residents to choose between two paths: expanding or replacing the existing landfill, or building a waste-to-energy facility that burns garbage and converts the heat into electricity.

## Why the city is asking now

Ottawa City Council approved a Solid Waste Master Plan in June 2024, according to the city's solid waste page. That plan is meant to guide how the city handles waste for the next 30 years.

Council already took one step toward stretching the life of the existing landfill: CTV News reports the city recently voted to limit each Ottawa household to three trash containers per week.

Building a new landfill could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, CTV News reports. The city has not published a final cost figure for either option.

## The two options

**Landfilling** means the city continues to bury waste underground, either by expanding the current site or finding a new one. It is the approach Ottawa has used for decades, but space is finite.

**Waste-to-energy incineration** burns garbage at high temperatures and uses the heat to generate electricity. It cuts down on how much material ends up buried, but raises questions about air quality and ash disposal.

The city has not said which option it prefers. The survey is one of several public engagement steps before council decides.

## Other ways to give feedback

Beyond the online survey, the city is offering two in-person open houses and one virtual information session. Dates and locations for those sessions are listed on the city's solid waste master plan page at ottawa.ca.

## The survey closes December 14. Residents can find it and the event details through that page.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/on/ottawa-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.