On November 2nd, 2026, the Simcoe County Energy from Waste partnership with Emerald Energy from Waste begins, marking an important milestone for sustainable waste management in Ontario.
Today, the County of Simcoe begins delivering its municipal waste to Emerald Energy from Waste (Emerald EfW) in Brampton, Ontario. The Simcoe County energy-from-waste partnership provides a long-term solution to manage waste, recover energy, and reduce reliance on landfills.
For Simcoe County, this marks the start of a more sustainable approach to waste management. For other Ontario municipalities, it offers a chance to rethink how they plan for the future of waste disposal.
With Ontario’s landfill capacity projected to run out within the next decade and new American tariffs affecting Canadian waste exports, the need for reliable, long-term waste management alternatives is more important than ever.
Simcoe County Energy from Waste: A Long-Term Waste Management Solution
In June 2024, the County of Simcoe approved a long-term agreement with Emerald Energy from Waste. The agreement secures reliable waste disposal capacity amid growing uncertainty about Ontario’s landfill space.
Additionally, the agreement provides the County with a long-term solution for managing municipal waste and supports its broader environmental sustainability goals.
Instead of relying only on limited landfill space, the County will send waste to Emerald EfW. The facility will use Energy from Waste technology to recover energy and reduce the amount of material that needs final disposal.
As a result, this partnership offers several important benefits:
- More predictable costs: The long-term agreement helps the County plan for waste disposal and reduces its exposure to future changes in landfill costs.
- Less reliance on landfills: Municipal waste can be processed to recover energy rather than sent directly to landfill.
- Lower greenhouse gas emissions: Emerald EfW estimates that the partnership could avoid about 46,802,000 kg of CO₂ emissions each year compared with landfill disposal.
- Energy recovery: Suitable residual waste becomes a resource for electricity generation rather than simply occupying landfill capacity.
- Reduced transportation requirements: Emerald’s Brampton location offers a shorter hauling distance than the County’s previous contracted disposal destination.
Moreover, for the County, this decision goes beyond managing today’s waste. It establishes a long-term strategy to provide greater financial predictability and environmental benefits as its communities continue to grow.
As Rob McCullough, Director of Solid Waste Management, explained in discussing the proposed agreement:
“With the landfill crisis coming in 10 years, to not have a solution that goes beyond that is subjecting ourselves to unknown price fluctuation.”
His comments highlight a challenge facing Ontario municipalities: securing reliable disposal capacity before limited availability drives greater cost uncertainty.
Why Simcoe County’s Energy from Waste Plan Matters as Ontario’s Landfills Are Filling Up
Ontario’s shrinking landfill capacity is no longer a distant concern.
According to the 2025 State of Waste in Ontario: Landfill Report, published by Waste to Resource Ontario (W2RO), the province produced about 16.88 million tonnes of waste in 2024. Of that, 12.75 million tonnes were disposed of in landfills.
Therefore, the report projects that, at current disposal rates:
- By 2034: Ontario’s remaining landfill capacity could run out if waste exports to the United States cease
- By 2037: Remaining capacity could be exhausted even if Ontario continues to export waste to U.S. landfills
- 27% of landfill-disposed waste: Approximately 3.44 million tonnes of Ontario waste were exported to the United States in 2024
These projections show the growing challenge for municipalities that rely on landfills for long-term waste disposal.
As landfill space becomes harder to find, municipalities may face higher disposal costs, longer transport distances and more uncertainty about where to send their waste.
Developing new landfill capacity takes time. Moreover, it requires environmental assessments, regulatory approvals, infrastructure investments and community consultation.
Ontario municipalities now face a different question: not just where their waste will go tomorrow, but whether they have a dependable solution for the next 10, 20 or even 30 years.
New American Waste Tariffs Add Pressure to Ontario’s Waste Management System
Ontario’s waste disposal challenges have become more complex following recent changes to U.S. trade policy.
In October 2026, the United States modified its Section 338 tariffs on Canadian goods. The changes included waste categories such as municipal waste, sewage sludge and clinical waste, which would be subject to an additional 50% import duty.
The tariff depends on how individual shipments are classified, but the changes add potential costs and trade risks for Ontario waste exporters.
For municipalities that rely on cross-border disposal, this is a reason to plan ahead. Trade policies, transportation costs, and landfill availability could all affect future waste management budgets.
Ontario may offer other disposal options for waste currently exported to the U.S. However, greater demand for landfill space within Ontario could put more pressure on an already strained system.
Ontario cannot assume that access to U.S. landfills will remain a predictable and cost-effective solution indefinitely. As a result, municipalities and counties across the province must prioritize long-term waste management planning.
How Simcoe County Energy from Waste Turns Waste into a Valuable Resource
Energy from Waste offers another way to manage residual materials that cannot be effectively reduced, reused, recycled or recovered through other diversion programs.
At Emerald Energy from Waste, we process suitable residual waste to recover energy. This helps reduce reliance on landfills while producing useful resources.
Based on Emerald EfW’s project estimates, each metric tonne of waste diverted from landfill disposal can provide:
- 420 kWh of electricity generated, contributing power to Ontario’s electrical grid
- 0.8 cubic metres of landfill space preserved, extending the useful life of existing disposal infrastructure
- Greenhouse gas reduction potential, with the Simcoe County partnership projected to avoid approximately 46.8 million kg of CO₂ emissions annually compared with landfill disposal
In addition to electricity generation, Emerald EfW is exploring other ways to recover resources. This includes hydrogen production and beneficial uses of suitable processing residues, subject to operational and regulatory requirements.
With plans to expand the Brampton facility’s processing capacity, Emerald EfW is also positioning itself to meet growing demand for sustainable waste management infrastructure across Ontario.
Energy from Waste does not replace recycling, composting or waste reduction. It supports these programs by providing another option for residual waste that would otherwise need disposal.
Together, these approaches support a circular economy by recovering resources, reducing the need for new materials where possible and finding more value in materials at the end of their useful life.
Simcoe County Energy from Waste Shows the Value of Long-Term Planning
The County of Simcoe’s decision shows how municipalities can make waste management a long-term infrastructure and financial priority, rather than a short-term disposal need. By securing a long-term agreement, Simcoe County has created a more predictable path forward while addressing key environmental considerations.
The decision also received support from municipal leaders who recognized its economic and environmental benefits.
Yvonne Hamlin, Mayor of the Town of Collingwood, commented:
“I think this is a win-win. I like the fact that the distance is relatively short [comparing shipping waste to Brampton, rather than Niagara Falls] and energy from waste is an excellent solution.”
For municipalities facing similar challenges, Simcoe County’s partnership offers a practical example of how alternative waste-processing technologies can fit within a long-term solid waste management plan.
What Other Ontario Municipalities Can Learn from Simcoe County
Every municipality has its own waste volumes, infrastructure needs, environmental priorities and financial concerns.
However, the underlying challenges are increasingly shared across Ontario. These include shrinking landfill capacity, uncertain disposal costs, changing trade conditions, and growing expectations for responsible resource management.
Simcoe County’s approach raises several questions municipal leaders should consider today:
- How secure is our current disposal capacity? Do existing contracts and facilities provide enough space beyond the next decade?
- How exposed are we to rising landfill costs and uncertainty in cross-border trade? Could changes in disposal availability or tariff policies affect future budgets?
- Are we maximizing opportunities for waste diversion and resource recovery? Could more residual waste be managed through alternatives to landfill disposal?
- Does our long-term waste strategy account for population growth? Will our current infrastructure and disposal arrangements meet the needs of future generations?
Answering these questions now can help municipalities explore their options before limited infrastructure reduces their choices.
Building a More Sustainable Future for Ontario
Today marks the start of a new chapter for Simcoe County and Emerald Energy from Waste. This partnership will provide the County with a long-term solution to manage residual municipal waste, recover energy, and reduce reliance on landfills.
More importantly, it shows that municipalities have options beyond traditional landfill disposal when planning for the future.
As provincial landfill capacity becomes more constrained and cross-border disposal becomes less certain, Ontario municipalities have an important opportunity to explore solutions that offer greater long-term certainty.
The future of waste management requires more than finding somewhere to put our waste. It requires finding greater value in the resources we already have.
At Emerald Energy from Waste, we are committed to advancing sustainable waste management solutions that promote environmental responsibility, resource recovery, and long-term municipal planning.
We are proud to welcome the County of Simcoe as a partner and look forward to supporting its waste management objectives over the next two decades.
Is your municipality prepared for Ontario’s changing waste management landscape?
Learn how Emerald Energy from Waste can support your municipality’s long-term waste management strategy and explore alternatives to conventional landfill disposal.