City Staff Directed to Explore Waste Diversion Requirements for Special Events

By Aara Macauley, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.  

City Council passed a motion by Councillor Cinanni to explore Waste Diversion Requirements for Special Events at last week’s council meeting.

The motion asked that city staff explore the process, organizer costs, and impacts of requiring a waste diversion plan as a condition of permit approval for large scale events on City property, and report back to Council no later than Q2 2027.

The motion pointed to challenges in enforcement and oversight of existing regulations, noting that food and organic waste diversion remains inconsistent and represents a significant opportunity for improved diversion outcomes; and that the Province’s transfer of recycling services to a private contractor has now removed the City’s capacity to collect or verify waste diversion on-site for special events.

Gabriella Dee, an assistant professor in the School of Environmental Studies, spoke to council as a delegate about her experience assisting several large scale local events with waste diversion, using the Skeleton Park Arts Festival, ArtsFest and Rib Fest as practical examples of what organizers can do to reduce the environmental impacts of their events.

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