Solid Waste Management Master Plan

Our Solid Waste Management Master Plan outlines a 10-year strategy to modernize waste services, improve environmental outcomes, and ensure long-term sustainability.

Overview

Haldimand County’s waste management system is facing increasing pressure due to population growth, rising service costs, and changing provincial regulations. Unlike many municipalities, we do not own or operate an active landfill and rely on contracted services for waste collection, transfer, and disposal.

To respond to these pressures, the Haldimand County Solid Waste Management Master Plan (SWMMP) outlines a 10-year strategy to modernize waste services and ensure long-term financial, operational, and environmental sustainability.

Developed in collaboration with Dillon Consulting and Watson & Associates Economists, the Plan includes a full review of current programs and infrastructure, a scan of best practices from other municipalities, and financial modelling to guide future decisions.

Read the Executive Summary (PDF) Read the full Solid Waste Management Master Plan (PDF)

Key focus areas and future strategic options

Approved in principle by Council to serve as a framework for future decision-making, the Plan provides a practical roadmap to deliver efficient, responsive, and sustainable waste services through the identification of 13 strategic options across 4 focus areas.

Curbside collection enchantments

These strategic options aim to improve logistics, increase diversion, and prepare for future regulations.

Cart-based garbage collection – transition to automated cart-based garbage collection to improve efficiency and prepare for future regulatory changes.
Receptacle limits for farms and industrial, commercial, and institutional (IC&I) properties – introduce limits on these properties to standardize service and control costs.
Shared collection point study – conduct a study to assess and improve shared collection points for multi-user locations.
Collection services assessment and optimization – conduct a study on cost recovery methods to inform the potential implementation of pay-per-use, bag tag and/or receptacle limits for all property types.

Optional strategic options

Residential organics collection program – explore the implementation of a green bin program to divert food waste and extend landfill life.
Bi-weekly garbage collection – consider reducing garbage collection frequency to bi-weekly (dependent on the organics collection program going forward).

Depot and special waste services

These strategic options address accessibility and safe disposal needs.

New permanent waste depot – develop a new waste depot in a high-growth area to improve accessibility for residents.
Permanent HSP facility at the Canborough Waste Management Facility – establish a permanent HSP facility by 2030.
Mobile HSP Depot program – launch a mobile hazardous and special waste (HSP) depot program as an interim solution.

Closed landfill management

These strategic options focus on environmental risk reduction and repurposing legacy sites.

Sale of suitable closed sites – consider selling select closed landfill sites to responsible third parties with appropriate safeguards.
Closed landfill repurpose plan – develop a plan to explore environmentally responsible strategies that reduce long-term risks and create potential community benefits.

System resilience and education

These strategic options support education, engagement, and emergency preparedness.

Promotion and education strategy – develop a strategy to educate and engage residents and businesses as new waste programs are introduced.
Disaster Debris Management Plan – create a plan to manage excess waste during emergencies such as extreme weather events.

Together, these strategic options provide a practical roadmap to help us deliver more efficient, accessible, and environmentally responsible waste services over the next decade. The options are intended to be considered strategically throughout the 10-year period of the Plan, with decisions for implementation made through the County’s regular annual planning and budgeting process.

Community survey results

In April 2025, Haldimand County invited residents and businesses to share their thoughts on local waste services through a public survey. The feedback helped shape the Solid Waste Management Master Plan, ensuring future programs reflect community needs and priorities.

Find more details on the community survey results in the Solid Waste Management Master Plan.

Survey overview

Dates: April 7 to 28, 2025
Responses: 1,309 residents responded (738 urban, 547 rural, 24 unspecified)
Promoted through: Website, social media, newsletter, news release, and on-site advertising

Key insights from residents

Shared priorities

Residents across both urban and rural areas expressed strong support for waste diversion, organics collection, and composting programs, while also highlighting the need for better awareness of existing services and sensitivity to cost increases.

Waste diversion: Over half of respondents rated waste diversion as “very important.”
Organics collection: Strong support for introducing a green bin program—61% of urban and 46% of rural residents supported it.
Composting programs: 35 to 40% would be “very likely” to participate in at-home composting or food waste reduction programs
Awareness of services: Many residents felt only “somewhat informed” about existing programs, with rural residents reporting lower awareness.
Cost sensitivity: While modest tax increases were acceptable to some, rural residents showed greater resistance to increased costs.

Urban vs. Rural differences

Survey responses revealed notable differences in service usage and preferences, with rural residents facing more access challenges and expressing greater concern about costs, while urban residents showed higher engagement with curbside programs and interest in service timing improvements.

Service use: Urban residents regularly use curbside leaf and yard waste collection; rural residents largely do not due to location
Canborough Waste Management Facility (CWMF) use: Rural residents use the CWMF more often and want longer hours and more services
Hazardous waste disposal: Urban residents prefer mobile or centralized options while rural residents favour expanding existing depots
Illegal dumping: More common concern among rural residents, often linked to limited access and tipping fees

General comments

Open-ended feedback reinforced key survey findings and added context, with common concerns about affordability, education, and organics collection, alongside location-specific issues such as litter in urban areas and illegal dumping in rural zones.

Concern about rising costs and the affordability of new programs
Strong interest in organics collection, but concerns about pests and odours
Desire for better education on waste schedules, limits, and reduction strategies
Urban residents noted issues with wind-blown litter
Rural residents raised concerns about illegal dumping and limited access to disposal sites

Feeback from businesses

Local businesses emphasized the need for equitable waste services, particularly the reinstatement of curbside recycling, and called for tailored solutions that reflect their operational realities and disposal needs.

Commercial recycling: strong support for reinstating curbside recycling, especially among small businesses
Fairness and equity: businesses want services that reflect their tax contributions and operational needs
Hazardous waste disposal: rural businesses would like more frequent drop-off events and flexible disposal options
Tailored solutions: businesses emphasized the need for seasonal flexibility and better access to curbside services

Additional data considered

Additional data used to support the development of the Solid Waste Management Master Plan included a four-year waste composition audit from 2021 to 2024. This audit analyzed the contents of curbside garbage from single-family households to better understand disposal habits and identify opportunities for improved diversion.

The findings—showing that more than 50% of the garbage stream consisted of food waste and recyclable materials—helped validate the need for enhanced education, expanded programs, and strategic service improvements.

Read the Waste Composition Audit 2021-2024 (PDF)

Infograph of average household garbage composition showing a breakdown of 49% garbage, 38.3% food waste, and 12.7% recyclables

Next steps

The Plan includes a phased implementation schedule aligned with future contract cycles and growth projections. As new programs and services roll out, we will continue to engage residents and businesses through education and outreach. Updates will be shared on this webpage and through other County communication channels to keep the community informed and involved.