Winnipeg, MB – The City of Winnipeg continues to restrict public access at Brady Road landfill and Brady 4R Winnipeg Depot during the ongoing protests near the entrance to the facility. The City is providing an update on its current operations at the landfill and clarification on its current cell site – also referred to as the landfill’s active waste dumping site.
The Brady Road landfill is split up into cells, which are specifically defined areas of the landfill used to bury garbage in a controlled way.
A landfill cell is a regulated area that begins as a constructed pit in the ground. When the cell is in-use, waste disposed of at this location is placed, packed, and stored within the designated area.
Once a cell has reached capacity, it is capped with one metre of compacted clay, and a top soil layer with vegetation. It will typically take about two years to reach capacity at a landfill cell.
In order to construct and move onto a new cell, the City must submit engineering design plans to the Province of Manitoba for approval. It takes approximately two years to build and prepare a new landfill cell.
The cell the City is currently using is located in the active area of the landfill. This cell has been in use since July 2022.
The City is not using the cell where the Winnipeg Police Service searched and located Rebecca Contois’ remains – it has been sealed and is not in use.
The City has enacted contingency plans for all garbage and recycling collection and is attempting to maintain these services without disruption during the current facility closure. We won't be discussing or providing comment on these contingency plans, in part for security reasons.