The borough of Saint-Laurent in Montreal stands out for its clean streets and a significant reduction in landfill waste.
Thanks to an ambitious strategy implemented over the past 20 years—including organic waste collection, reduced garbage pickup frequency, and the use of smart bins.
Saint-Laurent has become a leading example of sustainable waste management.
In a time when urban waste management poses increasing challenges, the borough of Saint-Laurent, located in northern Montreal, is setting a remarkable example.
For more than two decades, local leaders have implemented a series of coherent and progressive measures to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills while improving the cleanliness of public spaces.
Key initiatives include the 2006 rollout of wheeled bins for all households, eliminating the problem of torn garbage bags littering sidewalks.
In 2015, Saint-Laurent became the first borough in Montreal to offer weekly organic waste collection, while reducing residual waste pickup to every other week.
This approach has led to a 34% reduction in landfill waste, despite a 43% population increase over the same period.
Another innovation is the installation of electronic chips on each bin, allowing real-time tracking of collections and identifying participating households.
This technology promotes citizen accountability and enhances the efficiency of municipal services.
The borough’s mayor, Alan DeSousa, emphasizes that this transformation was achieved without regulatory mandates, but rather through environmental conviction.
Today, Saint-Laurent reaps the benefits of a deeply rooted culture of waste sorting, proving that with political will and the right tools, urban growth and sustainability can go hand in hand