Following the start of a three-item garbage limit per household this past fall, Ottawa councillors have raised concerns over the rise in illegal dumping reports and who is responsible for managing the excess garbage.
West Carleton-March Coun. Clarke Kelly told the Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee meeting Feb. 20 a resident had complained to him about eight bags of garbage being illegally dumped in a ditch on their property.
According to property maintenance bylaws, the responsibility falls on the property owner. If the garbage is dumped on public property, the city and its services are responsible for its disposal.
Kelly said that being responsible for small items and debris, such as water bottles and cans, is “reasonable.” However, he disagrees with the bylaw’s directive that the responsibility also includes managing eight bags of garbage.
“I do fear that similar issues could potentially be popping up around the city,” Kelly said. “Telling someone that eight bags of garbage is their responsibility to get rid of would take at least six weeks” with the current item limit and time between pickups.
Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine said he also finds it “unreasonable” that owners, even if they provide evidence such as doorbell camera footage showing excess garbage was illegally dumped on their property, is still liable for disposing of it if they cannot trace the culprit.
“I find it concerning that that level of documentation is not enough to require the city to handle [disposing of it],” Devine told the meeting. He said he would like to explore opportunities where such evidence would be sufficient for the city to pick up the unauthorized garbage for the owner.
The City’s Director of By-Law and Regulatory Services Roger Chapman told councillors that steps are being taken to enhance the chances of catching illegal dumpers, including the purchase of cameras, which Chapman said, have been deployed in “problematic areas” to capture the license plates of those who illegally dump. Chapman said that since September 2024, the city has received about 300 related calls, issued seven tickets and 11 notices of violations.
Chapman said he believes doorbell cameras or other surveillance devices used by residents will help catch perpetrators.
In addition to cameras, the city has raised illegal dumping fines.
The fine for unauthorized dumping under the Property Maintenance Bylaw, the Solid Waste Services Bylaw and the Care of Roads Bylaw is now $615, a $115 increase. The fine under the Parks and Facilities Bylaw has yet to be increased. It stands at $260 and is under review.
Chapman said the city saw a significant increase in reports of unauthorized waste disposal, from 102 calls in 2023 to 739 calls in 2024.
However, Chapman notes such increases are common when new regulations are introduced, and not all 2024 reports occurred after the garbage limit was implemented. He further attributes the increase to their website, which now allows residents to easily report unlawful dumping.
In addition to addressing concerns about unauthorized waste disposal, the committee also discussed the three-year pilot of the on-demand accessible taxicab service, and approved the expansion and renovation of fire Station 94 (5669 Manotick Main St.) and Station 93 (6891 Parkway Rd.).
