Contact(s)
Your Waste, Your Say: Help Shape Orillia’s Waste Management Future
The 2026 Waste Minimization Plan (2026-2031) will guide how waste is reduced, reused, and recycled in our community over the next five years, while supporting Orillia’s Climate Change Action Plan and circular economy goals.
Public input is a critical part of this process. This page is your home base for learning about the project, sharing your feedback through an online survey, and participating in upcoming public engagement events.
Learn about the project timeline
View the materials from open house events
| City of Orillia's Waste Minimization Plan |
| Waste Minimization Plan (2026-2031) will guide how waste is reduced, reused, and recycled in our community. |
| Early Winter 2025/2026 – Background review and summary |
| Cambium to conduct a background document review, conduct staff interviews, complete trend analysis, and prepare a preliminary list of recommendations. |
| February 13, 2026 – Online survey opens |
| Have your say - complete the survey now! (Closes March 14, 2026) |
| February 25, 2026 – Public Open House #1 |
| Drop in to the Orillia Recreation Centre and share your thoughts between 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. |
| March 7, 2026 – Public Open House #2 |
| Drop in to the Orillia Public Library and share your thoughts between 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. |
| March 14, 2026 – Online survey closes |
| Survey has closed, send any comments or questions to the project team. |
| Spring 2026 – Memo #2 Public Consultation Summary |
| Cambium to compile results from the public consultation sessions and survey submissions. The feedback received will help to form the list of recommendations and initiatives that will be provided in the draft plan. |
| Spring 2026 – Draft 2026 Waste Minimization Plan Development |
| The draft plan will incorporate the findings provided in the two memos, provide a list of final recommendations as well as the implementation schedule. |
| Spring 2026 - Public review of Draft Plan |
| The draft plan will be posted for public review for two weeks. Cambium will evaluate the feedback received during the review period before finalizing the plan. |
| June 2026 – Final 2026 Waste Minimization Plan |
| Final 2026 Waste Minimization Plan submitted to Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks |
About the Waste Minimization Plan
The City is required to update its Waste Minimization Plan every five years under the Waste Diversion Site’s Environmental Compliance Approval. The 2026 Waste Minimization Plan will identify strategies to:
Reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill
- Increase participation in the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)
- Improve waste management services and education
- Support Orillia’s broader climate and sustainability goals
Previous public consultation helped shape initiatives such as the clear garbage bag program and the expanded reuse depot. This update will build on that progress while identifying new opportunities for improvement.
The City has retained consulting services for the development of the 2026 Waste Minimization Plan. A competitive procurement process was completed in the fall of 2025. Cambium Inc. (Cambium), the successful bidder, will assess the City’s current waste management system, develop a public consultation plan and assist with conducting the public consultation sessions, assess the feedback received through the survey and public consultation sessions, and prepare the final report and implementation strategy.
Have your say
| Complete the online survey |
|
Your feedback will help identify priorities, challenges, and opportunities related to waste reduction, diversion, and education in Orillia. Survey open from February 12, 2026 to March 14, 2026 Survey responses will be summarized and shared publicly as part of the consultation results.
|
| Attend a public open house |
|
Missed the events? View the Open House Presentation and the Activity Boards from the open house events. Residents are invited to attend one of two drop-in public open house sessions to learn more about the project, ask questions, and share ideas.
What to expect:
|
| What we’re asking residents about |
Through the survey and open houses, the City is seeking feedback on:
|
Contact
For questions about the Waste Minimization Plan or the public consultation process:
| Project Contacts |
|---|
|
Jill Fairchild Manager of Waste Management and Environmental Compliance Environmental Services Division City of Orillia jfairchild@orillia.ca | 705-325-2325 |
|
Collin Neveroff Environmental Services Division City of Orillia cneveroff@orillia.ca | 705-418-3543 |
Questions and resources
| Documents and resources |
|
| Why is the City updating the 2021 Waste Minimization Plan? |
| Condition 11.2 of the Waste Diversion Site’s consolidated Environmental Compliance Approval requires that the City develop a five-year waste minimization plan and implementation strategy by June 30, 2021, and every five years thereafter. The purpose of the plan is to identify methods to further maximize waste diversion from landfill through the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) programs in Orillia. Regular updates help to ensure waste programs continue to reflect community needs, regulatory requirements, and best practices. |
| How will my feedback be used? |
| All survey responses and comments from the open houses will be summarized in a public consultation memo and used to inform the final plan and recommendations. |
| Is the survey anonymous? |
| Yes. Survey responses are collected anonymously. |
| Can I participate if I can’t attend an open house? |
| Yes. The online survey is available throughout the consultation period. |
