Weekly newsletter: February 10, 2025
Hi everyone!
With more snow on the way, please ensure your exterior vents are kept clear and free of snow and ice. Blocked vents may increase the risk of carbon monoxide exposure inside your home.
More recycling information
What’s recyclable (including new items), how to package it for curbside collection, and recent service issues. See CircularMaterials.ca/Ottawa↗ for more information.
As part of my ongoing quest to get as much information as possible to share with you, Circular Materials has provided some additional details about recyclable materials↗ (link opens a PDF).
Previously, the city separated recycling into black and blue bin days in the collection calendar and still does until March 31. Circular Materials’s app, however, separates recycling into “paper” and “container” recycling.
Paper recycling corresponds to black bin and is unchanged—accepting flattened boxes, cardboard, and other paper products on these days. Paper laminate products and packaging, such as party plates, pet food bags, and loot bags, are also accepted. These items may also be placed curbside in a large cardboard box but note the box will also be taken away.
Container recycling corresponds to blue bin and stays mostly unchanged, but with some new products accepted. Unchanged are glass containers, aluminium products, metal cans/tins/lids, hard plastics, plastic containers, and plastic-lined cartons. Newly accepted materials include:
Soft plastic packaging and bags (can be placed into a bag of bags)
Paper laminate containers (ice cream tubs, coffee cups, not to be confused with paper laminate products/packaging, which is considered paper recycling)
Styrofoam
Tubes, including toothpaste
Aerosols
Materials should be free of residue (yes, spoon feed yourself that extra peanut butter), where possible. Miller Waste has shared that container recycling products can go in large clear/blue bags.
After receiving four different answers in early-January, the information about replacement recycling bins has settled. Residents may request new and replacement recycling bins, but must pick them up at one of Miller Waste’s two facilities at 145 Walgreen Road↗ (417/Carp) or 1815 Bantree Street↗ (417/Innes).
Those facilities are open weekdays from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm (Walgreen) and 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (Bantree). Please contact Miller Waste at 1-888-852-2374 or Area2@MillerWaste.ca first. I am trying to find a way to convince Miller to add an extra pickup point to serve the southern communities.
Since the changeover, the most common feedback I’ve received from residents is poor bin placement and rough bin handling, which has resulted in lost and damaged bins. Although the city is no longer responsible for recycling, staff and I have sent notes to Miller Waste kindly asking them to address the issue with their operators.
Lastly, a friendly reminder that all recycling inquiries, including service issues and bin requests, should be directed to Miller Waste at 1-888-852-2374 or Area2@MillerWaste.ca. General questions about the provincial recycling program may be directed to Circular Materials at 1-877-667-2626 or CustomerService@CircularMaterials.ca.
The next major change is at the end of March, when the City’s current collection calendar ends. After that, the calendars for the City and Circular Materials will be separate.
It’s also entirely possible that recycling collection dates may change after March 27, as Circular Materials’s collection area includes Ottawa and some surrounding counties, and they will likely optimize their operations accordingly.
If that happens (emphasis on “if”), the City’s intention is to change its garbage and green bin days to match the recycling days, so residents won’t have two waste collection days in a week. The city will communicate that information as soon as it is known.
Anyway, that’s all the information I have for now. As things change or as new issues come up, I’ll communicate it promptly here and on social media. Thanks for your continued patience as I navigate the same changes you are.
The fact I’m still writing about it six weeks later means it has not been a good transition.
Recycling – taxes and fees
You are paying more, despite the changes to recycling, but there’s more to it.
One of the more often asked questions since recycling became a provincial responsibility is whether it impacts property taxes. It’s a reasonable question, given that the responsibility and costs of a municipal program have transferred to the province.
Although Circular Materials, with Miller Waste as their contractor, only recently took over recycling collection last month, administrative changes took effect on July 1, 2023. At that time, the city effectively became Circular Materials’s contractor in Ottawa. Coincidentally, Miller Waste was also our contractor, so they became our subcontractor for curbside recycling collection in this arrangement.
Accordingly, Circular Materials reimbursed the City’s recycling costs from July 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025, meaning they were not a factor in municipal taxes. Taxes and fees collected for solid waste for 2023 (half), 2024, and 2025 paid for garbage and green bin collection, landfill operations, and solid waste depots only.
In 2022, the last full year where recycling was wholly municipal, curbside garbage, recycling, and green bin collection cost the city $54.5 million, of which $16.8 million was for recycling. Of that, $9.6 million, or 57 per cent, was offset by revenues from the sale of our recyclable materials to a third-party processor, meaning recycling cost Ottawa $7.2 million in 2022.
(Side note/fun fact: Ottawa’s recyclables were “cleaner,” as we separate black and blue bins, so the processor paid more for recyclables from Ottawa than recyclables from other cities.)
The same year, the solid waste fee was divided into a flat fee and a property tax component. A single-family home assessed at $415,000 (Ottawa average) would have paid the $118 flat fee plus $54.78 of the general levy for a total of $172.78 towards solid waste services.
Starting with the 2025 property tax bill, the property tax component was removed and rolled into the flat fee, as properties receive the same curbside service regardless of assessed property value. That’s why the solid waste flat fee jumped from $145 in 2024 to $243 in 2025, which then increased to $267 in 2026.
Initially, I tried simply adjusting the 2022 numbers using the annual rates of property tax increase to compare it to the single flat fee in 2026, but the comparison wouldn’t be completely fair for two main reasons.
First, the rate increase is an overall average, meaning individual items (both taxes and fees) could change above or below that rate. Solid waste’s increases were above the average, partly because of the second reason, the new curbside collection contract, which was more expensive than the previous contract signed in 2013, even though it does not include recycling anymore.
However, if you’re still curious, using the average rate increases from the last four years only, the 2026 flat fee would have been $133.45, while the property tax component would have been $61.95, for a total solid waste fee of $195.40 for a single-family home assessed at $415,000. Again, this considers nothing else.
So, the short answer is yes, you are paying more for waste collection now despite the provincial government taking control of municipal recycling programs in Ontario, but it comes with a large asterisk.
There aren’t many truly fair comparators, but Toronto, which uses a cart system↗, charges its residents $318 to $609 annually, depending on cart size. Interestingly, they pay for solid waste services through a utility bill (like if our solid waste fee was part of the water bill instead of the property tax bill).
Unfortunately, I am aware of several issues since the new year with garbage and green bin collection for both single-family and multi-residential properties in the community. I will continue to work with City staff to address and resolve both immediate and continual issues.
Coyotes
Keep your pets safe during peak mating season.
Coyote mating season is typically January to March, with activity peaking throughout February. During this time, coyotes are more active, leading to more daytime sightings, especially near wooded areas, as they search for mates. They are also more vocal, particularly at dawn and dusk.
Residents have already reported coyote sightings to 3-1-1 and community Facebook groups over the last few weeks.
Although coyotes avoid and rarely are a direct danger to humans, they are more territorial and bolder during mating season, which can increase risks for pets, particularly cats and small dogs.
Never leave pets unattended, even in a fenced yard, and keep dogs on a short leash, especially if walking in a wooded area. Never feed wildlife.
Residents may report sightings by calling 3-1-1 or via webform↗ to help the City keep track of coyote movements. If the coyote is posing an immediate threat or danger to the public, please call 9-1-1.
For more information, please see the City’s coyote information page at Ottawa.ca↗.
Amazon
Limited update from Amazon.
Over the next two or three months, Broccolini will disassemble and reassemble the steel frame structure at the Amazon site off Leikin Drive as it conducts foundation-related work. There should be no overnight work.
Concurrently, Amazon will be adjusting its interior floor plans to accommodate a new generation of technologies, but there are no changes to the building footprint or envelope.
A revised construction timeline will be available after reassembly begins. No further information is available.
I remain committed to a public information session for this project, delayed from last October, and Amazon have agreed to attend. I’m working on a new date, which will be public once confirmed.
Bite-sized updates
Sorted alphabetically!
Beatrice/Queensbury (stop 3345) bus shelter – Delayed to the spring or summer. See explanation and update.
Deerfox/Woodroffe – Deerfox between Ryland and Woodroffe is closed to all vehicular traffic from February 16 to March 13 for a private water connection tied to ongoing development at the northwest corner of the intersection. The sidewalk on the south side will remain open.
Development application, 320 Bren-Maur West↗ – The City received an application to construct a three-storey apartment building with 35 units and underground parking. The lot is currently zoned development reserve, and the developer is seeking rezoning to permit residential development.
Development application, 3400 Woodroffe↗ – The City received an application to construct 160 homes divided amongst stacked townhouses, back-to-back townhouses, and traditional townhouses. The developer is seeking rezoning to permit the desired density.
Development application, 596 Via Campanale↗ – The developer is seeking to amend their development approval to increase the number of units from 92 to 99, following a market analysis. No changes to the building height or footprint.
Fallowfield/Transitway – The traffic signals at Fallowfield/Transitway are intermittently cycling on their own (instead of changing for Transitway traffic only). City staff will investigate all detection components as the fault has happened a few times over the last year.
Police office hours – South District officers will test out open office hours as an added form of community outreach. Officers will be upstairs at the Walter Baker Sports Centre from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm every other Thursday, with their next day on February 19. No registration or scheduling needed.
Spring recreation registration – Aquatics registration opens at 9:00 pm tonight. Registration for all other activities open on February 12 at 9:00 pm. Browse offerings and register at register.ottawa.ca↗.
Vacant unit tax – The 2026 vacant unit tax declaration portal is now open. Homeowners may complete their declaration through their ServiceOttawa account↗, at Ottawa.ca/VUT↗, by calling 613-580-2444, or in person at Ben Franklin Place or City Hall. Letters with access codes were delivered last week. The deadline to complete the VUT declaration is March 19, 2026.
Waste collection – Friendly reminder that all recycling inquiries, including service issues and replacement bin requests should be directed to Miller Waste at 1-888-852-2374 or Area2@MillerWaste.ca. Garbage, green bin, and yard waste remain responsibilities of the City.
Winter in Brrrhaven↗ – Join the West Barrhaven Community Association at Larkin Park on Saturday February 14, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm for free chili, sleigh rides, hot dogs, skating, and more!
--
Also, the Barrhaven BIA, the association that represents businesses in our community, is hiring a memberships and events coordinator. The role helps the BIA strengthen engagement, build relationships, lead engaging events, and support local businesses. For more information and to apply, please visit BarrhavenBIA.ca↗.
Finally, happy 87th birthday to former governor-general Adrienne Clarkson!
Have a great week ahead.
-Wilson