York Region’s updated SM4RT Living Plan supports a smarter waste future

Newmarket – York Regional Council received the 2025 Annual Waste Management Report, highlighting key accomplishments and future priorities and showcasing progress towards the objectives of the SM4RT Living Plan.

“Managing waste materials responsibly is essential to building resilient communities and protecting the environment,” said Eric Jolliffe, York Region Chairman and CEO. “This update reinforces York Region’s long-standing commitment to strengthening sustainability efforts, supporting reliable waste services for residents and advancing more efficient use of resources across the system.”

Key highlights from the updated SM4RT Living Plan include:

• Managing 361,034 tonnes of waste in 2025, including 117,920 tonnes of garbage, 106,252 tonnes of green bin and 50,500 tonnes of recycling
• Achieving 90% diversion from landfill rate, keeping waste out of landfill and supporting a circular economy
• Helping residents reduce waste at the source with both green bin and garbage generation rates decreasing in 2025, reflecting continued progress in waste reduction and diversion efforts
• Working with more than 30 partners to deliver inclusive food and waste programs for diverse communities, including newcomers, through initiatives such as York Region Food Network’s library based Good Food Challenge programming and the Centre for Immigrant and Community Services’ Recycle to Ride expansion; additional projects trained local champions while municipalities and libraries collaborated with the Region to expand Repair Café
• Advancing the transition to Ontario's Blue Box Program, ensuring consistent recycling services and supporting extended producer responsibility
• Planning for capital projects, including decommissioning Materials Recovery Facility equipment, design of a leaf and yard waste processing facility adjacent to the Waste Management Centre and a new transfer station to service the southern portion of the Region

Together, these accomplishments reflect York Region’s focus on sustainability, safety and growth, while prioritizing the ongoing needs of the community.

“Waste management is becoming an increasingly complex landscape shaped by cost pressures, regulatory change and shifting market conditions,” said City of Richmond Hill Mayor, David West, Chair of Public Works - Environmental Services. “York Region continues to be a leader in responding effectively with locally driven, financially responsible solutions focused on maintaining service reliability while adapting to future challenges.”

The SM4RT Living Waste Management Master Plan is reviewed every five years to evaluate ongoing processes and revise strategies to remain aligned with Council’s strategic goals and community expectations. The 2025 update provides insight into the Region’s achievements in improving waste management systems, as well as areas of opportunity for the community to further embrace a sustainable lifestyle. Learn more at york.ca/SM4RTLiving

The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to more than 1.3 million residents and over 58,000 businesses with 624,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/RegionalServices

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Media Contacts:

Melissa Pinto, Corporate Communications, The Regional Municipality of York
Cell: 437-997-6821, Email: @email

Tiki Reid, Corporate Communications, The Regional Municipality of York
Email: @email