Ottawa residents affected by flooding can place drywall, construction material in curbside trash

Garbage is placed outside a home in Ottawa on Thursday, July 2, 2026, following a record-breaking rainstorm on July 1, leading to flooding across the city. (Tyler Fleming/CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa residents will be able to dispose of some drywall and construction material through their curbside waste as the city recovers from a record-setting rainstorm.

While these materials would typically need to be disposed of at a waste facility, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said the city would temporarily be accepted in curbside pick up in neighbourhoods affected by flooding.

“As an additional measure beyond what has already been announced, I’ve asked our public works department to accept small to medium amounts of drywall and construction debris as part of the collection cycle,” Sutcliffe said.

“As you know, the city doesn’t normally collect this material, but these are highly unusual circumstances and we want to provide as much support as possible.”

The city was hit with a record-setting 118 millimetres of rain on Canada Day, which caused tens of thousands of residents to lose power and resulted in more than 1,900 basements experiencing flooding. According to Sutcliffe, 3,200 families have been affected by flooding.

Sutcliffe says the city will accept two garbage bins of construction material per household.

“We will continue to assess the situation in the coming days and will adjust as needed. We will do everything we can to support affected families,” Sutcliffe said.

The City of Ottawa has already taken measures to increase waste collection for those affected by the flooding, including by removing the three-item limit on garbage collection and allowing residents to request an off-schedule garbage pick-up.

The city says Trail Road Landfill will also be accepting residential construction debris and electronic waste for a fee and will be open during the next three Saturdays to accommodate affected residents.

The City of Ottawa is advising residents to ensure damages have been documented with their insurance providers.

Friday update

In an update on Friday afternoon, the City of Ottawa said the Canada Day response has been “successfully demobilized,” but enhanced operations are still in place to support storm recovery, the ongoing heat situation and the Canada vs. Morocco FIFA World Cup Watch Party at LeBreton Flats.

According to the city, since Wednesday’s storms:

• Firefighters responded to 700 calls for electrical hazards, downed power lines and other storm-related emergencies.
• Forestry Services received more than 150 requests involving hazardous and fallen trees.
• Traffic Services addressed nearly 100 traffic signal issues.

Residents are advised to contact their electricity provider before entering flooded areas where electrical equipment may have been affected. Information on cooling locations, showers, storm recovery, weather updates and travel guidance is available on the City of Ottawa’s website.

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