Winnipeg is getting farther away from its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Total corporate emissions rose last year, largely because food scraps and other organic waste continue to decompose in the city’s landfill. The increase goes against a council-approved commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
A new annual climate report shows greenhouse gas emissions from City of Winnipeg operations increased by 1.6 per cent in 2025. Corporate waste emissions rose by one per cent and remained by far the largest source of emissions, accounting for about 65 per cent of the city’s total emissions.
The city’s vehicle fleet accounted for 22 per cent of carbon emissions, while municipally owned buildings produced eight per cent.
Much of the total increase in emissions comes from methane, a powerful greenhouse gas generated as organic material breaks down at the Brady Road Resource Management Facility.
Work to repair a landfill gas capture system led to a 32 per cent reduction in the amount of methane gas the city captured and flared, meaning more of it escaped into the atmosphere.
Coun. Ross Eadie, chair of the water and waste committee, said the increase in emissions is frustrating but argued the city still has significant measures planned that could help reverse the trend.
“It is disappointing …. We’re not happy about it. We want to get to that zero, but there’s many big things that still need to be moved into place, like the curbside compost collection, which will be a huge reduction,” he said.
The city says it will not see meaningful reductions in the amount of organic waste disposed of at the landfill until a citywide green cart program is introduced.
In the meantime, Winnipeg continues to expand a food waste drop-off program operated in partnership with Compost Winnipeg. People can bring food scraps to 14 community collection sites and the city’s three 4R depots free of charge.
The city says the program is intended to serve as an interim measure until a permanent organics processing facility is built.
Amanda Wolfe, general manager of Compost Winnipeg, said residents are eager to see curbside compost collection become a reality.
“I think that everyone’s just really hoping that 2030 deadline is met,” Wolfe said. “It’d be nice if it was sooner, but that’s just not realistic.”
About 398 tonnes of food waste were collected through community drop-off sites in 2025, the first full year for the program, the city’s annual waste management report says.
The city has hired consultants and a project manager to advance plans for the facility near Brady Road. The current timeline remains to have a citywide curbside compost program in place by 2030.