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Integrated Waste Management Master Plan
COVID-19: Event Cancellations
The SM4RT Living Plan (Waste Management Master Plan) identifies initiatives that set the stage for waste management in York Region to 2059 and beyond, focussing on the 4 Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle and recover; working toward zero waste.
Check out some of the reuse and waste reduction initiatives generated out of the SM4RT Living Plan:
- Good Food — Tips and tools to help reduce food waste
- Participate in Curbside Giveaway days in your community
- Bring your broken items to a Repair Café to bring them back to life
- Purchase a subsidized backyard composter (limited to specific times only)
- Start a recycling program in your apartment or condo building
- The Lendery — Library of Stuff coming to a community location near you
- Help your school become a York Region Trash Blaster!
What's in it for You?
A more sustainable future for you and your family. Here's what we want to accomplish together:
- 166,000 estimated tonnes of waste reduced in the first 18 years of the plan
- 62,000 estimated tonnes of waste reused in the first 18 years of the plan
SM4RT Living Plan Review and 2020 Update
The master plan was originally developed with a 25 to 40 year time horizon to extend from 2039 to 2054. The initial plan outlined specific actions for the first five years, at which time progress would be assessed and an update prepared. With this update, the plan now extends to the years 2044 to 2059 and outlines actions for the next five years.
- Update to SM4RT Living – The York Region Waste Management Master Plan
- The Updated Master Plan: SM4RT Living Plan Objective and Actions
View Summaries and Appendicies
Recognizing the critical role of local cities, towns and community partners, York Region engaged stakeholders through several workshops focusing on:
- Waste diversion and reduction in multi-residential buildings
- Single-use packaging and litter
- Implementation planning
- Reporting and data measurement
A partnership forum brought together a range of community partners with an interest in SM4RT Living goals. Local municipalities, conservation authorities and other external groups were invited to take part in the Forum which helped to identify potential new relationships and synergies among partners and with municipalities. Three engagement events were designed to conduct community-based research, get a glimpse into the changing dynamics of people’s lives and understand ways to motivate them to make a shift in their consumer habits.
Workshops were supplemented by working groups with Regional and local municipal staff and with one-on-one meetings with Mayors and York Regional Councilors as the update was finalized.
SM4RT Living Plan Initial Strategies and Annual Reports
View the 2013 SM4RT Living Plan reports
- Main Report
- SM4RT Living actions in your community poster
- SM4RT Living At-A-Glance Overview
- SM4RT Living Strategies - highlights
View the 2013 technical strategies
Annual reports
Annual Waste Management Reports
Annual Solid Waste Diversion Reports summarize York Region’s integrated waste management system. The report is submitted annually to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to satisfy the Durham York Energy Centre Environmental Assessment condition for diversion reporting.
View the Annual Waste Management Reports
Meet John and Emily and find out how they are making a difference
Meet John and Emily; neighbours living in York Region. John shares with Emily some very interesting facts about the SM4RT Living Plan; a master plan developed to guide York Region over the next 40 years towards a goal of zero waste, focusing on waste reduction, reuse and influencing change.
The success of the SM4RT Living Plan relies on the collaborative efforts with community partners, and resident participation.
To learn more about the plan and how you can get involved, listen in on Emily and John’s conversation in the video below.
