Frequently Asked Questions

Waste Connections of Canada (WCC) is a leading provider of comprehensive waste management and environmental services across Canada and the United States, including in the Province of Alberta. We have earned a highly valued reputation for environmental protection, waste diversion, recycling, disposal and the development of supporting infrastructure.

Our values guide all aspects of our operations and business.

We are committed to providing the safest and most environmentally responsible operating practices.

An Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) is a comprehensive facility dedicated to the collection, transportation, processing, recycling, treatment, and disposal of various types of waste. These facilities are responsible for managing and handling waste materials in an environmentally responsible manner and in compliance with provincial and municipal legislation and approvals.

The IWMF consists of various activities; however, the primary activities are for landfill and operational uses that will be progressively developed over time.

WCC will be acquiring +/- 540 acres of land to accommodate the IWMF operations. Primary and ancillary uses of the IWMF only take up a portion of the site used for all aspects of operation and include uses such as public drop off, transfer station, scales, maintenance shop, processing, and progressive development of landfill operations. The area dedicated for landfill will be progressively developed over time and will take up only a portion of the total site. Agriculture will continue on the site in areas not required for the IWMF.

Community services can be tailored to suit the needs of the County’s residents.

We want to know what community enhancements are important to you. Let us know in the Contact Us section.

The DC 7 District contains a list of permitted uses, including landfill, that are primary considerations in the operation of an IWMF. Ancillary discretionary uses such as a scale house, administrative offices, recycling collection point, and storage and maintenance buildings are also proposed to be included within the DC 7 area. In addition, agricultural land within the DC 7 area will continue to be cultivated while the IWMF develops over time.

The DC 8 area is proposed to support uses similar to the discretionary uses listed in the DC 7 District, but it does not include a Class II Waste Management Facility (landfill).

Once the site is redesignated to DC 7 and DC 8, a detailed site development plan will be developed as part of the Provincial and Municipal approval processes.

Continued growth in the province of Alberta has a direct impact on the demand and need of long-term waste management services. The proposed IWMF responds to the life cycle of WCC’s existing assets and the demand for waste management services. This IWMF is being proposed to allow WCC to continue serving our clients’ waste management and disposal needs.

The process of seeking out a suitable location for an IWMF required the evaluation of various criteria that align with municipal and provincial regulatory requirements.

Based on detailed engineering an environmental evaluations, WCC determined that the site in Kneehill County best met the conditions to allow for successful development of an IWMF project. The following factors contributed to WCC’s decision to propose the IWMF in Kneehill County:

The County’s strategic plan indicated the County is working toward diversifying revenue options beyond traditional sources.

The County values and understands community initiatives and we feel our community partnership initiatives will fit well with Kneehill County’s needs.

This site was selected based on a number of criteria including, but not limited to, the following:

• Direct connection to provincial highway network.

• There are no residences along proposed haul route.

• Based on preliminary investigations, the site met the stringent technical characteristics needed for development.

• The initial geotechnical investigations identify that the site has the required technical characteristics to support a Class II Landfill. This will be further investigated if the lands are redesignated, and approval applications completed for Alberta Environment.

• Willing Landowners: landowners of the IWMF site understand and support the project needs.

WCC operates landfills in rural areas in a manner to respect adjacent agricultural activities. The IWMF only operates on a portion of the land on the WCC property allowing a buffer to neighbouring properties. The site is proposed to be progressively developed, which would allow agriculture operations to continue on a large portion of the site. WCC’s goal is to be respectful of the agricultural heritage of the community.

The IWMF operations will be limited to the property owned by WCC. In addition, buffer lands will be included to provide a transition zone from the IWMF to adjacent properties, in accordance with Provincial and Municipal requirements. The facility will operate in a manner that is respectful of our host community and their agricultural operations and heritage.

Potential offsite impacts could result from dust, litter and wind-blown debris, odour, noise, light, birds/wildlife, weeds, and construction. Mitigation measures include, but are not limited to:

Dust: cover or plant vegetation on stockpiles, spray on-site roads with water, lower speed limit on-site, and move materials to sheltered area.

Litter & Wind-blown Debris: frequently compact and cover waste material, utilize fences at different areas on the site, and collect/pick up debris on and off-site as necessary. 

Odour: maintain a small daily waste disposal working area, cover the waste materials daily, sub-surface landfill gas recovery systems, and odour suppression systems. 

Noise & Light: plant screening vegetation, limit operations to working hours, incorporate dark-sky compliant light fixtures. 

Weeds: plant grass seed in disturbed areas and remove noxious weeds as frequently as necessary.

The IWMF intends to offer public drop off services that are meaningful to the local community, such as accepting agricultural plastics, residential waste, wood drop off, etc. and that support the Cleanfarms program.

The IWMF will be a private investment that can add value to the local community. WCC is open to exploring other waste management partnerships with Kneehill County for the benefit of residents.

Upon successful redesignation, a Community Enhancement Fund will be committed with seed funds of $50,000 per year in 2025 and 2026. Subsequently, a royalty program will be negotiated with Kneehill County and a portion of the funds from the royalty program will be committed to the Community Enhancement Fund for future years.

We want to hear what community enhancement are important to you! Let us know in the Contact Us section.

There site will be secured 24/7 to control who and when the site can be accessed.

The selected site has direct access to the provincial highway system (Provincial Highway 21) along Township Road 29-0. Access to the site is proposed to be from Highway 21 and into the site off Township Road 29-0 or from Range Road 24-2.

This access route was proposed based on several considerations including proximity to the Provincial Highway 21 corridor, safety, sightlines at the intersection, and absence of any current dwelling units or individual residences currently in place along the Township Road 29-0 corridor.

WCC’s proposed access would involve the upgrade of provincial and county infrastructure to meet the expectations of the approving authority and area residents.

Safety is WCC’s top priority. As such, based on the findings and recommendations of technical studies, WCC will undertake the appropriate upgrades to roads servicing the facility. For example, acceleration and deceleration lanes will be added to Highway 21, and WCC will construct the roads accessing the site to a paved and ban-free standard, which means the seasonal road weight restrictions could be removed.

The transfer station and public drop off area is intended to receive ancillary materials such as agricultural plastics, metal, wood, concrete and other potentially divertible materials. The public drop of area will also provide waste bins to accept small quantities of household waste.

Yes, we are planning to incorporate the Cleanfarms program that will receive agricultural plastics. If specific equipment is required to facilitate the Cleanfarms program, WCC will engage in a partnership to arrange for the acquisition of the required equipment.

Throughout the multi-year process of municipal and provincial applications, there are various opportunities for the public to provide input. Public input is an important and continuous aspect of the approvals process.

Initial engagement will be a mail-out to residents and property owners in the area and direct communication to individuals who request one-on-one meetings.

A public open house will be held on April 15, 2024 at the Swalwell Community Hall from 5pm-8pm.

This project website will be maintained throughout the project.

The proposed IWMF will accept solid, non-hazardous waste from private contracts that may include local and regional sources. WCC’s proposed IWMF would provide the community and local business the opportunity to transition to using the services available at the facility.

Yes, upon successful redesignation, a host agreement and a royalty program will be negotiated with Kneehill County. A portion of the funds from the royalty program will be committed to a Community Enhancement Fund to be spent in the County and area in future years.

We want to understand what services the community needs and how WCC can support the Kneehill County community. Let us know in the Contact Us section.

Once the landfill capacity has been reached, the closure plan for the site will be implemented to ensure that the landfill site and surrounding area is monitored and protected. In the future, it is anticipated that the current site will support native vegetation and open space. Certain operations of the IWMF may continue to offer services to the community as required.

Closure/Post-Closure: WCC must submit a financial security bond to be held in trust with the Alberta Treasury prior to provincial approval being issued. The financial security will be reviewed annually throughout the life of the project.

WCC has operated waste management facilities in Alberta for decades, and we stand by our record of environmental protection, community investment, and stakeholder consultation.

WCC is proposing to operate the IWMF 5.5 days per week (closed for half a day Saturday and on Sundays). The number of trucks coming to the landfill varies on a daily basis depending on standard and seasonal waste volumes.

Truck traffic generated by WCC’s vehicles arriving at the existing landfill in the area consists of approximately 30-40 trips per day. At full operation, this IWMF may experience similar truck volumes.

Environmental and compliance monitoring is a responsibility that WCC takes very seriously. Ongoing monitoring of groundwater and surface water is conducted regularly to ensure that the IWMF is operating as per the approved design and to stringent government regulations.

The facility will also implement additional best practices, monitoring and operational controls to mitigate potential off-site effects from odour, litter, dust, and pests or nuisance animals. Monitoring records and reports are reviewed by the Alberta Ministry of the Environment, providing assurance to the communities within which we operate.

We will be developing a highly engineered landfill to contain and manage leachate (liquid from waste decomposition) to protect groundwater and surface water. Engineered lining and leachate collection systems will work be combined with natural low-permeability soils to protect local groundwater resources.

Regular monitoring and reporting of groundwater and surface water quality are a requirement of all Alberta Ministry of the Environment approvals to develop and operate an IWMF. This provides assurance the communities we operate in that the environment is being protected.

WCC works hard to prevent the spread of litter and have developed effective operating procedures at our facilities to mitigate this. We operate our landfills with a small active area (i.e. minimize the exposed waste), utilize permanent fencing/berms around the perimeter of the facility, and place portable litter fences close to the active area. Inspections are completed daily to ensure that litter mitigation is working as intended. We have a proactive program and standards for cleaning up any litter that may leave the site during periods of high winds.

No. The facility will only be licensed for the disposal of non-hazardous waste.