Solid Waste Master Plan
Solid Waste Master Plan: To guide waste management for the next 30 years.
At the District of Muskoka, we are exploring options to guide Muskoka’s waste management goals and objectives for the next 30 years. The Solid Waste Master Plan (SWMP) is a long-term plan on how waste should be managed within our community. We are looking for your input on the waste programs, education, and services we provide, as well as potential new programs.
Each person's efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle contribute to a cleaner, healthier Muskoka. Your participation and input is a valuable part of this process and will shape the master plan. Let’s make sustainable waste practices a community-wide priority and ensure a more sustainable future for Muskoka. Throughout this project you’ll have an opportunity to participate and we want to hear from you - no matter how many months of the year you live here.
This update will explore solid waste management options to guide Muskoka’s waste management goals and objectives for the next 30 years. The plan will define how Muskoka’s solid waste management system will adapt to our growing community and the evolving nature of the waste management industry.
We will be engaging the public throughout the process to help prioritize and streamline decision-making to create a sustainable, socially acceptable, and an economically and financially viable model for waste management over the next 30 years.
One of the District’s key priorities is waste reduction, and we have ambitious targets:
- Reduce garbage generation by 10% by 2030, 25% by 2050.
- Divert 60% of all solid waste from landfill by 2030, 80% by 2050.
How to participate
Your feedback is important.
The District is starting its update to the SWMP which is a long-term plan on how waste should be managed within our community. We are looking for your input on the waste programs, education, and services the District of Muskoka provides, as well as potential new programs. The goal of the survey is to learn more about your experience with handling waste like recyclables, organics, and garbage. Waste management is a shared responsibility that involves every member of our community. Your input will inform the vision, guiding principles, goals, and objectives of the SWMP.
Thank you for completing our SWMP survey.
We're here to help - contact us at waste@muskoka.on.ca or 705-645-2100
Stay Informed!
Please visit this page often for updates and announcements, and don't hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns.
Below is a snapshot of some other Muskoka waste-related updates
Bin Site Transition Project - The District Municipality of Muskoka’s Bin Site Transition Plan is an ongoing initiative to transition Muskoka’s previously unstaffed and unsupervised dumpster sites to long-term, alternate waste collection service that is licensed and environmentally sustainable.
Clear Bag Program - a community commitment aimed to ensure that waste entering Muskoka’s only landfill is properly sorted, reducing recyclables and compostable material in our garbage bags. Many municipalities have successfully implemented similar programs, showing improvements in waste diversion rates and increased awareness about proper waste management practices. Subject to District Council’s approval the curbside clear bag program is set to start in early 2025 and at waste facilities in early 2026.
