Pushing for Greener Building—A Construction Waste Diversion Strategy for Winnipeg City Centre Community Committee – July 3, 2025
At the July 3, 2025, meeting of the City Centre Community Committee, I brought forward a motion aimed at tackling one of Winnipeg’s growing environmental concerns: construction and demolition waste.
As we continue building and growing our city, we must also be accountable for the environmental footprint we leave behind. Last year, emissions from city-led construction increased, and as development continues to expand through new as-of-right approvals, it’s clear we need a plan to manage construction waste more responsibly.
The motion calls on the City to look at what other municipalities like Toronto and Lethbridge are already doing using policies and incentives to encourage or require contractors to recycle, reuse materials, and divert as much as possible from the landfill. These practices support a circular economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and extend the lifespan of our landfills.
Specifically, I’ve asked the Public Service to:
- Review best practices from across Canada on how other cities are managing construction waste;
- Work with the City’s Climate Action and Resilience Committee to align this effort with our broader climate goals;
- Explore tools like mandatory waste separation at the source, diversion targets, and incentive or penalty systems for contractors;
- Report back to Council within 180 days with concrete recommendations.
If we’re serious about reaching our net-zero goals by 2050, we need every sector—including the construction industry doing its part. This is about building smarter, not just bigger.
Let’s put sustainability at the foundation of Winnipeg’s growth.
