Today, the Honourable Andrea Barbour, Minister of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change, and Minister responsible for the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board announced the 2025-26 recipients of funding for projects under the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board’s Community Waste Diversion and Solid Waste Management Innovation Funds.
Over $300,000 has been provided to 13 projects that support sustainable waste management in Newfoundland and Labrador. The two programs are operated by Multi-Materials Stewardship Board with funds from the Waste Management Trust Fund.
Coinciding with Circular Economy Month, these investments support this government’s platform commitment to protect the environment and highlights the important role of these projects in advancing waste reduction, extending the useful life of materials and supporting the transition to a more circular economy.
The Town of Bay Bulls, which received $25,000 from the Community Waste Diversion Fund, hosted today’s event. The Town highlighted how funding from MMSB will help support their community mulch program.
The Community Waste Diversion Fund provides a maximum contribution of $25,000 to municipalities, Indigenous community governments and local service districts for the implementation of community initiatives that create opportunities to divert more waste from landfills. This year’s recipients include projects focused on community composting, yard waste diversion and reduction of single use plastics with the use of dishwashers for community event spaces and water refill stations.
Applications for the Community Waste Diversion Fund are now open for 2026-27 and are being accepted until November 13, 2026.
The Solid Waste Management Innovation Fund provides a maximum contribution of $50,000 to provincially owned businesses, industry associations and non-profit organizations for the development of new or improved technologies, products, services or processes that support solid waste management in Newfoundland and Labrador. Projects can operate at any stage of the waste management hierarchy (reduce, reuse, recycle, or recover).
Applications for the Solid Waste Management Innovation Fund can be submitted at any time throughout the year.
A full list of the 2025-26 recipients is available in the backgrounder below.
Quotes
“As our communities, businesses and organizations work together to find more innovative and sustainable ways to reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle waste in Newfoundland and Labrador, I am encouraged to see the continued success of the funding programs offered by the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board. Congratulations to the recipients of the Community Waste Diversion and Solid Waste Management Innovation Funds. Your work is helping the province create a more environmentally sustainability future for all of us. I look forward to working with more groups and communities on this initiative.”
Honourable Andrea Barbour
Minister of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change
Minister Responsible for the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board
“MMSB congratulates the 2025-26 recipients of the Community Waste Diversion and Solid Waste Management Innovation Funds for their dedication to reducing waste in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are proud to support initiatives that demonstrate strong community engagement, sustainability, and a significant impact on waste management. We look forward to seeing the results of these funded projects and we encourage other communities, businesses, industry associations and non-profit organizations with creative waste diversion ideas to apply for future funding opportunities.”
Derm Flynn
Chair, MMSB
“We are proud to see this program already making a positive impact in our community. With support from MMSB, the Town has established a dedicated yard waste drop-off location and, since June, residents have been helping divert organic material from our landfills. This initiative not only reduces waste and supports environmental sustainability but also creates a valuable resource that can be used for municipal beautification projects and made available to residents free of charge. We thank MMSB for their investment in our community and for supporting practical, local solutions that benefit both residents and the environment.”
Keith O’Driscoll
Mayor, Town of Bay Bulls
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Learn more
Community Waste Diversion Fund
Solid Waste Management Innovation Fund
Town of Bay Bulls Community Mulch Program
BACKGROUNDER
2025-26 Community Waste Diversion Fund Recipients:
| Parker’s Cove | $13,800.00 | Supply and installation of an industrial washer, dryer, and commercial dishwasher at the community centre to improve sustainability practices, reduce waste, and provide essential community support services. |
| Twillingate | $8,647.60 | Supply and installation of a water bottle filling station at the George Hawkins Memorial Stadium to reduce single-use plastic waste. |
| Marystown | $12,696.00 | Supply and installation of outdoor water refill stations at high-use recreational fields. |
| Miawpukek First Nation | $25,000.00 | Expansion of community composting program. |
| Bay Bulls | $25,000.00 | Establishment of a community leaf and yard waste diversion program. |
| Port au Port East | $5,073.00 | Establishment of a community compost program. |
| Grand Falls-Windsor | $25,000.00 | Expansion of their woody yard waste diversion program through the purchase of a larger, more efficient Woodchipper. |
| Witless Bay | $25,000.00 | Establishment of a residential woody yard waste diversion program. |
| Cottlesville | $21,054.00 | Purchase of a bulk water bottle filling station for the community to reduce single-use plastic waste. |
| Upper Island Cove | $7,371.00 | Establishment of a community compost program. |
2025-26 Solid Waste Management Innovation Fund Recipients:
| Home Again Furniture Bank | $50,000 | To support the establishment of a furniture repair and refurbishing operation at their used furniture store, Again and Again in St John’s. |
| Flat Bay Band Inc. | $50,000 | To support the creative reuse of surplus, leftover, and recovered building materials to create furniture, finishes, and community amenities in Flat Bay. |
| NewfoundSAND | $50,000 | To support the market validation of using recycled glass food containers as an aggregate material. |