Feasibility Analysis: Deconstruction and/or Demolition Waste Management Bylaw (Presentation)

Purpose of Report

• To introduce the findings of a feasibility analysis for a deconstruction and/or demolition waste management bylaw.

Background

Feasibility Analysis

Capital Regional District (CRD)

• Waste Composition Study (2022) found that 13.8% at the Hartland Landfill was from construction and demolition (C&D) waste.
• CRD has been looking for ways to divert construction, renovation and demolition materials from the Hartland Landfill.
• To date, the CRD has banned the following C&D materials from general refuse:
  • Clean wood (January 1, 2024), and
  • Treated wood (painted, stained engineered wood products) as well as asphalt shingles (July 2, 2024).
• The CRD hopes to expand this program going forward.
• Note: the Hartland Landfill continues to accept mixed C&D waste for an increased tipping fee.

Municipalities that Currently have Deconstruction and/or Demolition Waste Management Bylaws

• There are currently only a handful of municipalities that have adopted deconstruction and/or demolition waste management bylaws in the province.

Housing Stock

• Municipalities with deconstruction and/or demolition waste management bylaws have targeted single-family homes or duplexes built in 1950s or before (1960 or before for the City of Victoria) for the following reasons:
  • Single-family homes/duplexes are more likely to be demolished and replaced with higher density building types
  • Two reasons for the 1950 cut-off period:
    1. Old growth wood building materials – construction industry stopped using old growth lumber in the 1940s.
    2. Hazardous materials – ex. It was common practice to use asbestos in construction materials due to its abundance, affordability and its unparallel fire resistant properties. As a result, any building constructed prior to 1990 has a high chance of containing asbestos in some form or another.

Housing Stock Cont.

• The 2021 Canadian Census data can provide some information as to the number of occupied private dwellings constructed in 1960 or before.

* Data based on 25% sample data (long-form census only)

Housing Stock Cont.

• In 2012, the Town of View Royal prepared a Community Energy & Greenhouse Gas Emissions Plan.
• The plan identified the following neighbourhoods using the 2006 Census, as areas with buildings built before 1946:
  • Harbour,
  • Wilfert, and
  • Hospital neighbourhoods.

Demolition Permits & Deconstruction

• The Town requires that all demolition work must be completed under an approved demolition permit.
• As part of the demolition application review process, the Building Inspector must take the building and/or structure’s age into consideration.
• If hazardous materials (i.e. asbestos) are suspected within the home, a Hazardous Material Assessment is required to be submitted as part of the application.
  • BP is issued if the home clear of hazardous materials.
  • If asbestos found, a plan to safely dispose of the hazardous materials is required. This process is achieved through the deconstruction of a home.

Demolition Permits & Deconstruction Cont.

• An average of three (3) demolition permits a year for single-family homes.
• Difficult to confirm whether these homes would have met the pre-1950 cut-off date, information not recorded
• Difficult to confirm how much waste would have ended up in landfill, contractors and homeowners are not required to take their demolition waste to Hartland Landfill.

Alignment with Other Town Documents

Recommendation

THAT Council does not proceed with a new Deconstruction and/or Demolition Waste Management Bylaw until a review of the Official Community Plan and the Town’s existing housing stock are completed and instruct staff to prepare a project summary for the 2025 budget deliberations.

AND THAT staff continue to work with the CRD to raise awareness and educate the public about waste diversion efforts.