The City of Ottawa has taken a significant step toward securing its long-term waste management future by moving forward with plans to bid on a massive private landfill property in the city's east end.
Committee Greenlights Landfill Bid Exploration
Ottawa's finance and corporate services committee has given preliminary approval to explore making a bid on a 450-acre private landfill located near Carlsbad Springs. The decision now moves to city council for final approval on November 26, 2025. If council sanctions the move, city staff will immediately begin the process of making a formal bid on what represents a rare opportunity in waste management infrastructure.
This property, known as the Capital Region Resource Recovery Centre (CRRRC), holds the distinction of being the first and only private landfill approved in Ontario over the past two decades. The site is currently owned by Taggart Miller Environmental Services Inc. and is situated on the east side of Boundary Road north of Devine Road, west of Frontier Road near the Boundary Road-Highway 417 interchange, and directly abuts the Amazon fulfilment centre.
A Strategic Acquisition for Future Needs
According to a city staff report, acquiring this property presents a strategic opportunity for Ottawa. The landfill has already received provincial approval, meaning the city cannot prevent it from being used as a landfill regardless of who owns it. By purchasing the property, Ottawa would gain control over its waste management destiny.
Mayor Mark Sutcliffe emphasized the importance of this decision, stating: "It's going to be landfill in the future. It will either be owned by a private company, another municipality — or it will be owned by the City of Ottawa." He noted that the discussion centers on whether this represents good value for taxpayers and whether public ownership serves the city's interests better than having another municipality truck garbage into Ottawa.
The city's need for additional landfill capacity is urgent. Alain Gonthier, the city's general manager of public works, explained that obtaining approvals for a new landfill typically takes about 15 years. With Ottawa's population expected to reach 1.5 million people by 2053 and the existing Trail Road landfill projected to reach capacity within the next decade, acquiring this pre-approved site could solve a critical infrastructure challenge.
Confidential Process and Public Interest
One significant aspect of the bidding process remains confidential. The city signed a non-disclosure agreement in April, which means details of the bid, including the cost, cannot be made public until the process is completed. City officials have committed to communicating all remaining details to the public once the bidding process concludes.
The staff report highlighted that owning the landfill would give the city flexibility in waste management planning and prevent the site from being acquired by a private owner or another municipality. This control is particularly important because if the landfill becomes privately owned, tipping fees could become unpredictable, potentially increasing costs for Ottawa residents and businesses.
While the city has implemented successful programs to divert garbage from the Trail Road landfill, the reality of a growing population and limited landfill options makes this potential acquisition a crucial decision for Ottawa's future. The November 26 council meeting will determine whether the city moves forward with what could be one of the most significant municipal infrastructure acquisitions in recent memory.
