If you’ve been following Whistler’s environmental progress, you’ll know we’re falling short of our 2030 landfill target. By quite a lot.
In 2019, the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) set an ambitious goal of reducing landfill waste by 80% by 2030, down to just 2,400 tonnes annually.
Fast forward to 2025, and we’re still landfilling over 11,500 tonnes of waste annually, nearly five times the target. The gap is so wide that councillors have begun questioning whether the goal is still realistic. In an age of instant results, the default response can be to move the goalposts and lower the target instead of rethinking the strategy or stepping up our efforts.
But as some pointed out at the RMOW Council meeting on June 10, 2025, this ambition is not out of reach, but it will take hard work.
So what does that hard work look like? And who’s responsible?
Spoiler: it’s not just the RMOW.
One of the biggest problems: food waste
Let’s take a closer look at one of the heaviest and most avoidable waste streams still ending up in landfills: food waste.
We know that nearly one-third of waste we send to landfill is compostable organic material, the majority of which is food. We also know that when food ends up buried instead of composted, it releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and we waste the chance to turn it into nutrient-rich soil.
That’s why AWARE is working toward a clear, tangible goal: reducing organic waste to landfill by 5% this year.
What the new Solid Waste Bylaw Means
Since 2017, food businesses and multi-family residences in Whistler have been legally required to separate organic waste and engage a hauler to collect it. Yet we know many still don’t.
On June 24th 2025, Council adopted an updated Solid Waste Bylaw with stronger requirements and consequences for not separating food waste. Food scraps are now officially banned from landfill. Any waste load containing a large percentage of food will incur a $290 per tonne surcharge, on top of the standard $232 per tonne landfill disposal fee - a sharp contrast to the $80 per tonne cost of properly separated organic waste.
All industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) sites and multi-family residences must separate food scraps and ensure they're collected for composting. Residential buildings with 12 or more units and all ICI sites must also provide and maintain clear signage at waste stations. Film sets, public events, construction sites, and catered events are also required to set up designated organic waste collection bins. Failure to comply can result in fines of up to $2,000 per day. These updates are designed to drive meaningful behaviour change, increase accountability, and support a community-wide shift to better waste separation.
Whistler’s unique position: Why we should be leading
Whistler is a special place, home to breathtaking landscapes, rich biodiversity, world-renowned outdoor experiences, and a community that cares deeply about sustainability. But what also sets Whistler apart is its unique positioning to lead on sustainability, particularly when it comes to tackling food waste.
We have a recipe for success: local regulations mandating food waste separation, a hauler (GFL) collecting organics for composting, and a nearby composting facility turning food scraps into nutrient-rich soil.
Few communities are as well-positioned as Whistler to keep food out of landfills. And yet, every year, thousands of tonnes of food still end up buried in the ground.
What's going wrong?
Barriers to change
In AWARE’s work through the From Waste to Action campaign, we’ve seen that many businesses want to do the right thing. But good intentions aren’t enough when systems are confusing, responsibilities are unclear, and accountability is lacking.
Here are the most common barriers we see:
1. Confusing or inconsistent waste room setups: In multi-unit buildings and hotels, waste stations are often hidden away in back rooms or loading bays. Bins may be unlabelled, locked, or inconsistently organized across tenants. In these conditions, even well-meaning staff struggle to sort correctly. And contamination can mean even separated organics end up in the landfill.
2. Seasonal staff turnover: Whistler’s workforce is constantly changing. New employees arrive year-round, especially in food service and hospitality. Without ongoing training, clear signage, and support from property managers, even good systems break down fast.
3. Lack of enforcement: Whistler’s bylaws already require food businesses and multi-family residences to separate organics. But without consistent monitoring or meaningful consequences, many continue to toss food waste into the black bin. This undermines those who are trying and sends the wrong message.
Who needs to step up? A system-wide response
Meeting Whistler’s waste goals takes more than good intentions. It requires rethinking how we manage food and waste across the entire community, from bin rooms to boardrooms.
So, what does a systems change look like?
It looks like a circular mindset. We need to stop seeing surplus food as garbage and start seeing it as a resource to be repurposed, redistributed, or composted.
It looks like Property Manager engagement. Many food businesses operate in shared buildings. That means landlords, strata, and cleaning staff need to be part of the solution, ensuring bins are accessible, labelled, and serviced properly. Waste rooms should be designed for success, not confusion.
It looks like ongoing staff training. With frequent turnover and seasonal staffing, training can’t just happen once. Clear signage, onboarding tools, and checklists need to be part of daily operations.
It looks like tracking and feedback. Businesses that track waste can reduce it. We also need better data from haulers, property managers, and inspections to understand what’s working and where gaps remain.
And it looks like better bylaw enforcement. Education matters, so does accountability. Stronger enforcement levels the playing field and rewards those doing the right thing.
Where do we go from here? A call to action
The thousands of tonnes of food sent to landfills each year aren’t coming from one source; they’re the cumulative impact of waste from every restaurant, hotel, grocery store, condo, and home in Whistler.
This is a community problem. And to make meaningful change, we need a community-wide response. That means an end to blame-shifting and an honest look at our habits and systems.
We don’t need to reevaluate our landfill targets. We need to reevaluate our approach.
That starts with each of us asking: What can I do differently?
Here's how you can take action today:
Own or manage a food business? If you don’t already have clear signage and a reliable organics collection system in place, now’s the time to sort it out. AWARE is offering FREE support through the end of 2025. We’ll help you set up a composting system, train your team, and connect with a hauler – at no cost.
Share a waste room where another tenant is contaminating your compost? Don’t stay silent. Talk to them. Talk to us. Or contact the RMOW directly.
Live in a condo or apartment without a compost collection? If your building has 12 or more units (and was built after 1981), a compost bin is required. Talk to your property manager or strata. Or reach out to us, and we can help start that conversation.
Worried about composting at home? Store food scraps in a sealed container under the sink and empty it into your building’s compost bin every few days. Use BPI-certified compostable liners, never plastic.
Finally, share this with your fellow business owners, property managers, neighbours and more. The more we spread the news, the greater impact we’ll have.
Whistler has the tools, the infrastructure, and the values to lead by example. With almost a third of our landfill waste made up of organics, reducing food to landfill is one of the most immediate, tangible climate actions we can take as a community. It’s also one of the most achievable.
But only if we’re willing to do the hard work.
Head to awarewhistler.org/take-action/ to get started.
This campaign is made possible thanks to the generous support of GFL Environmental.
AWARE works with the community to deliver bold, evidence-based solutions to the environmental issues that affect Whistler.
