The District of Muskoka has released a new 30-year Solid Waste Master Plan that aims to dramatically reduce the amount of garbage sent to landfill, extend the life of the region’s only active landfill site, and modernize waste services across Muskoka — but it won’t come cheap.
The strategy is estimated to require roughly $3.175 million in capital expenditures between 2026 and 2035 to implement the identified initiatives. The plan also estimates an additional $1.71 million in annual operating costs once all identified programs are in place. Yet officials also acknowledge that the eventual cost of some of those initiatives remains unknown pending future studies.
The report also states that implementing the Master Plan will require phased increases in the Solid Waste Levy. Under the status quo, solid waste rates are projected to rise by about 1.3% annually, while implementation of the Master Plan would increase that to approximately 2.18% annually over the next decade.
For households, the projected average solid waste levy would increase from $253.11 per household unit in 2026 to $311.54 by 2035 under the Master Plan scenario, compared with $283.63 under the status quo.
At the heart of the plan is a growing concern: the Rosewarne Landfill in Bracebridge, Muskoka’s sole active landfill, is projected to reach capacity in approximately 16 years if current waste disposal habits continue. District officials warn that without significant changes, the site could be full by 2042.
What is notable is that while the plan acknowledges that additional disposal capacity will eventually be required, it does not recommend a specific end-of-life solution for Rosewarne. Instead, it calls for future evaluation of options such as:
- Expanding or further optimizing the existing landfill (if feasible).
- Developing or securing access to another landfill site.
- Exporting waste to facilities outside Muskoka.
- Alternative waste processing technologies, including energy-from-waste systems.
The report states that these options require further technical, environmental and financial analysis before any decisions can be made. As a result, the costs associated with a future replacement landfill, landfill expansion, waste export contracts or energy-from-waste facilities are not included in the current $3.2-million implementation estimate. Consequently, some councillors were critical of the plan noting that there are too many unknowns, and while the plan provides a roadmap to delay the problem, it does not yet answer the question of where Muskoka’s garbage will go after Rosewarne is ultimately full. That decision—and likely the largest future cost facing the waste system—has been deferred to future studies and councils.
The master plan, developed with public input and guidance from a community-based steering committee, outlines a roadmap to 2056 focused on reducing waste generation, expanding diversion programs, and exploring new technologies to preserve landfill space, but conspicuously missing are tangible solutions once the landfill does reach capacity.
Ambitious Waste Reduction Goals
The District currently diverts about 37 per cent of residential waste from landfill, trailing the provincial average of 49 per cent. Officials are now aiming much higher. The plan sets a target of reducing average waste generation from 275 kilograms per person annually to between 50 and 100 kilograms over the next decade.
District staff say achieving that goal would significantly reduce pressure on the Rosewarne Landfill while lowering greenhouse gas emissions and creating a more sustainable waste management system.
New Bag Tag System
One of the most noticeable changes for residents is a new annual bag tag system, scheduled for implementation in 2028.
Instead of the current weekly garbage limits, households would receive 80 garbage tags each year. Every garbage bag placed at the curb or delivered to a waste facility would require a tag. Residents who exceed their annual allotment would need to purchase additional tags, with the funds generated from the sale of the tags offsetting the cost of the overall program. The District says the system is intended to encourage waste reduction while providing flexibility for both year-round and seasonal residents.
The plan also recommends exemption programs for households that generate additional waste because of medical needs or child-care requirements. The tag system is estimated to cost $400,000 annually in operating costs beginning in 2028 for administration and distribution, and $50,000 in capital costs.
There were logistical concerns regarding the bag tag implementation and the impact it would have on secondary units. Council heard that all legal secondary units would receive the same number of tags. One councillor referred to it as “too many moving parts,” but in the end, the majority of the council approved it.
Organics and Reuse a Major Focus
A significant portion of the strategy focuses on keeping food waste and reusable materials out of landfill.
The District plans to investigate expanding organic waste processing facilities, evaluate the use of third-party composting services, and develop a strategy to divert construction, renovation and demolition materials from disposal sites. Officials note that food waste currently makes up between one-quarter and one-half of the garbage stream, representing a major opportunity for diversion.
The plan also calls for expanded reuse programs, including partnerships with community organizations to collect household goods and textiles.
Curbside Collection for Lake of Bays
Residents in the Township of Lake of Bays will eventually see curbside waste collection introduced.
The master plan recommends studying the feasibility of replacing the area’s current reliance on transfer stations with curbside service. District officials believe increased convenience would boost participation in recycling and organics diversion programs.
The plan also proposes expanding curbside collection to include additional materials such as batteries and textiles and potentially introducing a pay-per-use bulky item collection program.
Addressing Illegal Dumping and New Technologies
Other recommendations include creating a strategy to combat litter and illegal dumping, implementing waste education programs in schools, improving public communication tools, and exploring artificial intelligence-powered customer support for waste-related questions.
To maximize landfill capacity, the District will also examine options such as shredding bulky waste, using alternative landfill cover materials and remediating the closed Rosewarne East landfill.
Immediate Priorities
Several initiatives are expected to begin as early as 2026 and 2027, including efforts to reduce litter and illegal dumping, launch school outreach programs, improve waste education tools, study future organics processing options, develop a disaster debris management strategy, and begin planning for the new bag tag program.
District officials say the plan reflects strong public support for a more ambitious approach to waste management, with residents consistently ranking environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness as top priorities. Surveys conducted during the planning process showed broad support for moderate to aggressive action to reduce waste and preserve Muskoka’s natural environment.
If successful, the strategy could significantly extend the life of the Rosewarne Landfill, delay the need for costly new disposal facilities, and move Muskoka closer to its long-term vision of sending little or no waste to landfill by 2050.
But many of the larger projects in the plan are still only at the feasibility study stage. The report repeatedly notes that the costs of future facilities, expanded organics processing, energy-from-waste options, and other major infrastructure are not yet included, meaning the final price tag could be significantly higher.
After much discussion, the majority of the District Council endorsed the plan, but the financial aspects of the plan will still have to be revisited at budget time.
Want to dig deeper? You can find the report HERE.
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There are some of us, now old as dirt, who remember how Muskokans dealt with ‘garbage’ way back – before plastic in some cases. Household garbage was mainly composed of tin cans, glass bottles, organics and paper. All of this garbage was disposed on our 2.5 acre rural residential property. Father dug a deep hole near the back boundary where washed and flattened tin cans and other metal bits were buried. Glass bottles were recycled to support Mother’s preserving efforts (broken glass went into the ‘tin hole’). Organics were composted in a trench that ultimately grew wonderful raspberries. Paper and other combustibles were burnt in a drum every Saturday. I know this because burning the garbage was my chore. We used handkerchiefs, not Kleenex. Babies had cloth diapers. The toys of our childhood were often homemade (dolls, stuffed animals, recycled bits of wood and metal). Commercially, we had Tinker Toys, Meccano Sets, skipping ropes, wooden/metal trains and tracks etc. Our purchases were not enveloped in plastic packaging as they are today.
Today I try my best not to buy ‘garbage’. I always carry one or more cloth bags. Everything that can come from the retailer in plastic can come in my cloth bag (or now, a kraft paper bag). When I can I leave the excess packaging (those ubiquitous blister packs) at the retailers. Of course this does nothing to eliminate the garbage, but it does send a message to an observant retailer.
Fifty years ago, Muskoka Lakes struggled with the identical problem besetting the District foday. I was Councillor and Mayor for 12 years at that time. I know all sides of the garbage disposal dilemma that does not ‘go away’. Conscientious purchasing at all levels may ameliorate the problem.