The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) has initiated a two-phase process to amend and update its Solid Waste Management Plan. The Phase 1 public engagement period on the proposed amendment ended on December 3, 2021. An Engagement Summary Report on Phase 1 has been posted in the right sidebar.

The Project

The SCRD's Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) guides the management of solid waste in the region. The SWMP describes how the region will manage garbage, recycling, green waste, and food waste programs and services for a 10-year period, while identifying regional issues in the next 25 years.

The Sechelt Landfill is rapidly approaching capacity and is expected to close by mid-2025. Currently, the Sechelt Landfill is the only waste disposal option approved in the 2011 SWMP. This means the SCRD needs to identify a new disposal option and seek approval before the Sechelt Landfill closes, through either a SWMP amendment or update. An amendment would enable the SCRD to add a temporary disposal option to the existing 2011 SWMP and is typically a one-year approval process. An update will identify a new long-term disposal option and is expected to take two to three years to update the plan.

The SCRD has initiated the process to identify new potential long-term waste disposal options. However, it is possible the Sechelt Landfill will close before a long-term solid waste disposal option is fully operational. Given the timeline, the SCRD is initiating a two-phase process to amend and update the SWMP to ensure the region has a solid waste disposal option available following the closure of the Sechelt Landfill.

The two-phase process to amend and update the SWMP includes:

Phase I: Amend the 2011 SWMP (October 2021 - May 2022)

Revise the 2011 SWMP by adding the option to temporarily export solid waste outside the region for disposal at an existing facility. This option will only be implemented if the Sechelt Landfill closes before a new long-term solid waste disposal facility is operational. If this short-term option needs to be implemented, the disposal fee for garbage will likely increase, which could impact annual fees for residents and businesses.

In late 2021, the SCRD hosted several engagement opportunities, including an online Let's Talk Trash Q&A discussion and three in-person information booth events in Sechelt, Pender Harbour, and Gibsons. An engagement summary has been posted in the right sidebar.

Phase II: Update the SWMP (2022 - 2025)

The updated SWMP will have a 10-year plan lifecycle and shape the long-term solid waste management approach for the region. The update process requires a complete review and evaluation of the 2011 SWMP’s guiding principles, waste reduction targets, and programs/services. A new SWMP will be drafted based on technical studies that identify a new long-term waste disposal option and an engagement process.

The SCRD is currently planning the public engagement for Phase II, focused on the SWMP review and update process, which will be initiated in 2022. Visit letstalk.scrd.ca/trash to learn more!

On the right side of the page, you will find more information on the project and past engagement events.

Below, click on the different tabs to ask questions and provide feedback on the proposed amendment.

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