Where will the future landfill go? City contemplating next steps

The City of Moose Jaw is looking at its options after their discretionary use application for a new landfill was denied this week by the RM of Moose Jaw. 

City manager Maryse Carmichael said the city has three project teams working at the city in regard to the landfill. One team is looking at the current landfill, the second is looking at the technical side of the future landfill and a third team, led by Director of Planning and Development Michelle Sanson, is looking at the location for the future solid waste management facility. 

However, Carmichael neither confirmed nor denied that annexation was an option. 

The original site was located in the RM of Moose Jaw about 2.5 km north of the city on two quarter sections of land. Carmichael said that land deal will no longer go through. 

“It was set to expire on the 21st of June and it's now terminated because one of the clauses was to have a successful discretionary use application. So, that agreement is in the process of being terminated,” Carmichael said. 

Carmichael said the city isn’t completely starting over again from scratch. She said many of the reports and consultations from the original site are still relevant. 

“Through consultation and the information we received, we actually have amended our plan for the waste management facility, so it's been very beneficial to do that,” she said. 

One of the biggest challenges in finding a new location is the regulations and buffer zones needed. The landfill cannot be located within 500 metres of residential developments, farmsteads, schools or community facilities, within 300 metres of surface water, within 100 metres of roadways, cemeteries, railways or water pipelines, within 450 metres of waterwells, within 30 metres of transmission lines or pipelines or within eight kilometres from 15 Wings Moose Jaw or the Municipal Airport as it would be a bird hazard. 

Carmichael said they are still exploring other locations. 

“Mainly north of the city, of course, because of the restrictions that are to the south with 15 Wing. So, we do have a number of other locations that we’re looking at and in discussion with the RM, we’ll then make a recommendation to Moose Jaw City Council,” she said. 

The city’s currently landfill is nearly 100 years old and is expected to reach the end of its useful life within the next four to five years.