Ottawa reports thousands of instances of illegal dumping since launch of 3-item garbage limit

Garbage and recycling sits at the end of a driveway on collection day in Ottawa. (CTV News Ottawa)

The City of Ottawa has recorded thousands of instances of illegal garbage dumped in parks and street bins and illegal household waste dumping since the launch of Ottawa’s three-item garbage limit last year, with approximately 200 notices of violation handed out.

• Ottawa residents throw out less waste in first year of 3-item garbage limit

As of Sept. 30, 2024, households are limited to a maximum of three items of garbage every two weeks, with yellow bags required for any items over the three-item limit. The new limit on household waste was one of the steps the city is taking to extend the life of the Trail Road Landfill, which was initially expected to be full between 2034 and 2036.

Statistics provided to CTV News Ottawa show Ottawa residents sent 102,882 tonnes of garbage to Ottawa’s landfill between October 2024 and September 2025, down from 125,682 tonnes of garbage between October 2023 and September 2024.

Some councillors and residents had raised concerns about a spike in illegal dumping in ditches or roadways following the implementation of the three-item limit.

An update on the Solid Waste Master Plan, for the Environment and Climate Change Committee meeting on Oct. 21, said, “The observed reduction in waste tonnage has not been accompanied by a corresponding increase in incidents of illegal dumping.”

As part of the rolling out of the three-item limit, the City of Ottawa streamlined the process for reporting illegal dumping online and launched public education campaigns, according to staff. Residents can report illegal dumping online or by calling 3-1-1.

“In response to reported hotspots, staff have deployed targeted outreach and proactive surveillance in wards and locations where illegal dumping occurs most frequently,” staff said.

Between October 2024 and July 2025, approximately 5,200 cases of illegal dumping in parks and street bins were recorded by Solid Waste Services staff, according to the report. Approximately 100 notices of violation were issued.

Between October 2024 and August 2025, Bylaw and Regulatory Services recorded approximately 1,800 instances of illegal household dumping, with staff saying approximately 100 notices of violations were issued for illegal dumping.

Staff say Road Services staff reported 57 instances of illegal dumping on roads between November 2024 and August 2025, but no tickets have been issued.

“It is important to note that while there has been an increase in reports and call volumes related to illegal dumping since the policy was introduced, this does not necessarily indicate a rise in actual dumping activity,” staff said in the report.

“Increased awareness from public education campaigns and the availability of new online reporting tools often lead to short-term spikes in reporting.”

According to Ottawa Bylaw Services, the notice of violation is a formal document to notify a person or property owner they have violated a city bylaw. It’s the first step in the enforcement process, which can lead to fines.

A notice of violation provides the property owner with a compliance deadline to remove the garbage from their property or a park, the city told CTV News Ottawa.

The fine for dumping on private property is $300, while the fine for illegally placing garbage in a park bin is $205 and a minimum $500 fine for dumping in a park.