Ontario builders call for more sustainable infrastructure
The coalition wants to increase the use of recycled crushed aggregates.

Key Takeaways:
- Incorporating just 20% of recycled crushed aggregates (RCA) into public infrastructure projects can save local governments over $260 million and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 15 million cars annually. RCA also preserves non-renewable resources, reduces waste, and minimizes traffic congestion.
- Extensive testing and use in major Ontario infrastructure projects, such as 400-series highways and Pearson International Airport, demonstrate RCA’s high performance. A coalition of nine industry organizations is advocating for policies to maximize RCA’s economic and environmental benefits in Ontario.
- The coalition suggests key policy measures, including mandating a minimum 20% RCA usage, harmonizing municipal specifications with provincial standards, and prohibiting “primary-only” specifications in tenders. They also recommend funding incentives to encourage municipalities to adopt RCA in public infrastructure projects.
The Whole Story:
A coalition of Ontario civil infrastructure leaders, builders, suppliers, and engineers has launched a campaign to urge government leaders to adopt policy changes to increase sustainability in the construction of public infrastructure projects.
A government mandate to include just 20 per cent of recycled crushed aggregates (RCA) for critical construction projects like roads, subdivisions, highways, bridges, and tunnels can save local governments more than $260 million, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 15 million cars from the road annually.
“Recycled aggregates are cost-effective, sustainable, and high-performing and can help municipalities deliver more from their capital plans while helping to reach their net-zero targets,” said Raly Chakarova, Executive Director of the Toronto and Area Road Builders Association (TARBA). “Using more recycled materials in construction projects can preserve non-renewable resources, reduce waste and traffic congestion, and contribute to long-term sustainability.”
RCA is made from reclaimed concrete and asphalt that would otherwise end up in landfills. By adding it to upcoming infrastructure projects, RCA offers significant economic advantages for municipalities struggling to address a growing state of good repair backlog and the infrastructure investments needed to keep up with population growth.
Provincial standards and extensive testing have shown RCA to be as high-performing as primary aggregate, and RCA already has a proven track record in Ontario, including in our 400-series highways, Pearson International Airport, house-enabling infrastructure in subdivisions, and Greater Toronto Area transit projects.
Across the world, governments are incentivizing the use of RCA through policies and regulations that accelerate the shift toward sustainable construction materials. A coalition of nine industry organizations — Concrete Ontario, Good Roads, the Greater Toronto Sewer and Watermain Construction Association (GTSWCA), Heavy Civil Association of Toronto (HCAT), Ontario Road Builders Association (ORBA), Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO), Ontario Sand, Stone, and Gravel Association (OSSGA), Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE), and Toronto and Area Road Builders Association (TARBA) —
is advocating for municipal and provincial decision-makers to take the lead here in Ontario and maximize RCA’s economic and environmental benefits.
At the municipal level:
- Include the use of RCA in tenders for construction projects.
- Mandate a minimum amount of RCA for all public infrastructure projects.
- Harmonize municipal specifications for RCA through provincial standards.
At the provincial level:
- Incentivize the use of RCA through funding for municipal infrastructure projects.
- Prohibit municipalities from specifying “primary-only” in public infrastructure tenders.
- Harmonize municipal specifications for RCA through provincial standards.
- Mandate a minimum 20 percent RCA of aggregates used on all municipal, regional, and provincial public infrastructure projects.