To ensure safe and efficient waste collection and promote the diversion of waste away from landfill, all new developments and redevelopments in Toronto must have suitable waste collection areas and infrastructure.

The City of Toronto Requirements for Garbage, Recycling and Organics Collection Services for New Developments and Redevelopments outline the:

  • design guidelines for waste collection areas and infrastructure in new developments and redevelopments
  • eligibility requirements to receive City of Toronto garbage, recycling and organics collection services.

These guidelines and requirements allow the City to ensure that all eligible new developments are built in a way that enables diversion of waste away from landfill, improves waste management operations for the building and meets the standards for City waste collection to take place.

The City of Toronto Requirements for Garbage, Recycling and Organics Collection Services for New Developments and Redevelopments was updated in 2022 and further revised in 2023 and 2024. Key changes since 2022 include updated Toronto Green Standard items to include Household Hazardous Waste storage as Tier 1 for Mid- to High-Rise Residential customers and the addition of a minimum requirement of a concrete pad abutting the outdoor waste enclosure for City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations.

All applications submitted before May 13, 2022 and currently under review must comply with the 2012 version of the document. New applications submitted on or after May 13, 2022 must comply with the most current version of the document.

The updated document includes references to other relevant City documents and policies, such as the Toronto Green Standard and Development Infrastructure Policy and Standards.

Types of Developments

The design guidelines and eligibility requirements are for:

  • new developments
  • redevelopments

The guidelines and requirements focus primarily on the waste collection services provided by the City for the following residential developments:

  • single-family developments with curbside collection
  • multi-residential developments with curbside collection
  • multi-residential developments with front-end collection

The guidelines and requirements also include information on additional waste collection programs offered by the City for non-residential new developments such as:

  • commercial sites
  • charities, institutions and religious organizations
  • City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations
  • schools

Further Information

If you have questions regarding the guidelines and requirements for new developments and redevelopments, please email swmdev@toronto.ca.