Close Alert Banner
Close Browser Compatibility Banner
Browser Compatibility Notification
It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.
Skip navigation
Back to Homepage
  • Living Here

    • A to Z Services
    • Animal Services and Control
    • Child Care and Early Learning
    • Community Services
    • Community Gardens
    • Council Members
    • COVID-19 INFORMATION CENTRE
    • Education and Schools
    • Emergency Services, Response and Planning
    • Employment Support
    • Environmental Sustainability
    • Events Calendar
    • Financial Assistance
    • Food Banks
    • Garbage and Recycling
    • Home Renovations
    • Housing and Shelter
    • New to Canada or Waterloo Region
    • News and Public Notices
    • Older Adults
    • Roads and Traffic
    • Safety and Crime Prevention
    • Taxes
    • Transportation and Transit
    • Water and Wastewater
  • Exploring the Region

    • About Waterloo Region
    • Airport
    • Archives
    • Arts, Culture and Heritage
    • Events Calendar
    • Exploring the Region
    • Forests and Trails
    • Library
    • Maps
    • Museums
    • Transportation and Transit
  • Doing Business

    • Applications, Licences and Permits
    • Bids and Tenders
    • Commercial Waste
    • Community Profile
    • Construction and Design Standards
    • Economic Development
    • Health Standards for Business
    • Incentive Programs
    • Key Initiatives
    • Key Sectors
    • Operating a Child Care Business
    • Payment Options
    • Planning and Development Services
    • Regional Investments
    • Spills Prevention and Response
    • Surplus Auction
    • Workplace Wellness
  • Health and Wellness

    • Alcohol and Drugs
    • Cannabis Vaping and Tobacco
    • Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan
    • Dementia Services
    • Environmental Health
    • Food and Drinking Water
    • Health Services and Resources
    • Healthy Living
    • Immunizations and Vaccines
    • Infection and Disease
    • Older Adult Health
    • Parenting and Child Health
    • Pregnancy and Baby's First Year
    • Public Health and Emergency Services
    • Public Health Inspections
    • Rehabilitation and Respite Care
    • School Health
    • Sexual Health
    • Sunnyside Home Long-Term Care
    • Sunnyside Wellness Centre
    • Youth Health
  • Regional Government

    • Agendas, Minutes and Webcasts
    • Awards
    • Budget and Financial Statements
    • By-laws
    • Careers and Volunteering
    • Commissioner of Oaths
    • Contact Us
    • Council
    • Departments
    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Elections
    • News and Public Notices
    • Open Government
    • Provincial Offences Court and Traffic Tickets
    • Public Engagement
    • Regional Responsibilities - Who Does What in Government
    • Reports, Plans and Data
    • Strategic Plan
    • I want to...

View our Facebook Page View our Twitter Page View our YouTube Page

  • Garbage and Recycling
    Toggle Section
    • Blue Box
      Toggle Section
      • Cart recycling for multi-unit buildings and schools
    • Bulky Items and Appliances
    • Collection Issues
      Toggle Section
      • Bans and By-laws
      • Collection by Building Type
      • Collection Schedules
      • Waste App
    • Commercial Waste
      Toggle Section
      • Workplace Waste Reduction and Recycling Directory
    • Drop-off, landfill hours, reduce and reuse options for residents
    • Education and Events
      Toggle Section
      • Publications and resources
    • Garbage
      Toggle Section
      • Garbage Tags
      • Medical Exemptions
    • Green Bin
      Toggle Section
      • Backyard Composting
      • Cart recycling for multi-unit buildings and schools
    • Household Hazardous Waste
    • Landfill and Recycling Centre
    • Landlords and Property Managers
      Toggle Section
      • Cart recycling for multi-unit buildings and schools
      • Post Secondary Students
    • Yard Waste
      Toggle Section
      • Backyard Composting
    • Garbage Tags
  • A to Z Services
  • Animal Services and Control
    Toggle Section
    • Animal Bites
    • Pests
  • Child Care and Early Learning
    Toggle Section
    • Help Paying for Child Care
    • Find Quality Child Care and Early Learning
    • Operating a Child Care Business
    • Region of Waterloo Home Child Care
    • Region of Waterloo Children's Centres
    • Special Needs Supports
    • Planning and Research
    • Quality Improvement
    • EarlyON Child and Family Centres
  • Community Services
    Toggle Section
    • Child Care and Early Learning
    • Employment Support
    • Financial Assistance
    • Housing
    • Older Adults
  • Community Gardens
  • Council Members
  • COVID-19 INFORMATION CENTRE
    Toggle Section
    • Region of Waterloo Public Health COVID-19 section
      Toggle Section
      • Adults and COVID-19
      • Children/Teens and COVID-19
      • Community Assessment Centres
      • Coronavirus FAQs
      • Coronavirus Media Briefing Notes
      • Coronavirus resources for health professionals
      • Coronavirus resources for schools and child care centres
      • Coronavirus resources for workplaces
      • COVID-19 vaccine
    • COVID-19 Community Supports
    • COVID-19 Coordinated Response - Newsletter
    • COVID-19 How to help
    • COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force
      Toggle Section
      • COVID-19 vaccine pre-registration
      • COVID-19 vaccine FAQs
      • COVID-19 vaccine communications toolkit
    • COVID-19 Who to contact
    • Face Covering By-law
    • Here For You
    • In This Together
    • Regional closures and service changes
    • Waterloo Region COVID-19 summary
    • Face Covering By-law for businesses
  • Education and Schools
    Toggle Section
    • Teaching Resources
  • Emergency Services, Response and Planning
    Toggle Section
    • Ambulance, Fire, Police
      Toggle Section
      • Paramedic Services
      • Public Access Defibrillator
      • Right Call, Right Care
    • Emergency Response Plans
    • Emergency Services Training Centre
    • Fire Safety
    • Hospitals
    • Preparing for an Emergency
  • Employment Support
  • Environmental Sustainability
    Toggle Section
    • Air Quality
    • Climate Change and Extreme Weather
    • Conserving Water
    • Energy Management
    • Growth Management
    • Natural Environment
    • Salt Management
    • Teaching Resources
  • Events Calendar
  • Financial Assistance
    Toggle Section
    • Ontario Works
    • Help Paying for Child Care
    • Dental Health
    • Discounted Bus Pass
    • Help Paying Rent
    • Utility Bill Help
    • Funding for Home Repairs
    • Funding to Help Buy a Home
    • Canada Learning Bond
    • Affordable Food
  • Food Banks
  • Home Renovations
    Toggle Section
    • Call Before You Dig
    • Funding for Home Repairs
    • Permits
  • Housing and Shelter
    Toggle Section
    • Emergency Shelters and Transitional Housing
    • Find Affordable Housing
    • Funding for Home Repairs
    • Funding for Secondary Suites
    • Funding to Help Buy a Home
    • Help to Find and Keep a Home
    • Housing Providers
    • Incentives to Create Affordable Housing
    • Living in Community Housing
    • Community housing updates
    • Waterloo Region Housing Master Plan
    • Sunnyside Supportive Housing
    • The Renter's Toolkit
    • Housing Planning and Research
  • New to Canada or Waterloo Region
  • News and Public Notices
    Toggle Section
    • News
  • Older Adults
    Toggle Section
    • Dementia Services
    • Sunnyside Wellness Centre
    • Sunnyside Home Long-Term Care
    • Sunnyside Supportive Housing
    • Rehabilitation and Respite Care
    • Homemaking Support
  • Roads and Traffic
    Toggle Section
    • Carpooling
    • Annual Collision Report
    • Automated Speed Enforcement
    • Construction and Road Closures
    • Cycling and Walking
    • Distracted Driving
    • Parking
    • Red Light Cameras
    • Roundabouts
    • Separated Cycling Lanes
    • Signs and Signals
    • Traffic Safety
  • Safety and Crime Prevention
    Toggle Section
    • Bullying
    • Crime Prevention Council
    • Domestic Violence
  • Taxes
    Toggle Section
    • Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) and Appeals
    • Policies, Reliefs and Rebates
    • Rates
  • Transportation and Transit
  • Water and Wastewater
    Toggle Section
    • About Wastewater
      Toggle Section
      • Protect your pipes
    • About Water
      Toggle Section
      • Groundwater
    • Beaches and Pools
    • Billing, Rates and Meters
    • Biosolids
    • Commercial Programs and Funding
    • Conserving Water
    • Current Projects
    • Drinking Water Locations
    • Drinking Water Safety
    • Protecting Water
      Toggle Section
      • Source Water Protection
    • Reports, plans and data
    • Report a Spill
    • Salt Management
      Toggle Section
      • Snow and Ice Clearing Tips for Homeowners
      • Winter Maintenance for Commercial Properties
    • Small Drinking Water Systems
    • Teaching Resources
    • Water Softeners

Collection Schedules

  • Open new window to share this page via Facebook Facebook
  • Open new window to share this page via LinkedIn LinkedIn
  • Open new window to share this page via Twitter Twitter
  • Email This page Email
Home/.../Garbage and Recycling/Collection Issues/Collection Schedules

Putting recycling and green bin to the curb

 This page provides ways to find your collection day and set collection reminders, and information on holiday collection schedules (statutory holidays, double garbage days, and Christmas Tree collection).

COVID-19 update: 

  • During COVID lockdown, curbside waste collection will continue on the regular schedule.
  • For information about changes to our waste programs and services during the pandemic, go to our Collection Issues page.

A copy of the 2021 Waste Collection calendar is available online (it includes January, 2022). 

When is my collection day?

Your collection day is determined by where you live in Waterloo Region. 

  • Use our handy Waste Whiz online lookup to check your collection day and services. Go to "My Schedule".
  • Contact our Call Centre 519-575-4400, available 24 hours a day, every day.

Note: All materials have to be set out by 7 a.m. on your collection day.

Need reminders? Resources are at your fingertips!

Since different types of waste have different collection schedules*, setting up reminders can help keep you on track:

  • Download the app on your mobile device! Our waste app can provide you with personalized collection information, and the ability to set reminders. (Plus we send out important notifications about our programs through the app on occasion.)
  • Use the online version of our waste app.

*Note:  Normally, blue boxes and green bins are collected weekly. Garbage and bulky items are collected every second week (limits apply). Yard waste is collected seasonally (typically from March to November) on the opposite week of garbage. Natural Christmas trees are collected usually two weeks after the holiday.

Please check our COVID-19 update for the latest changes to our collection programs.

Holiday collection schedule

 Looking for ways to reduce your waste during celebrations and holidays? Go to our list of residential waste reduction tips.

Statutory and designated holidays

Our offices and drop-off facilities are closed to residents on statutory and designated holidays. Statutory hand designated holidays include,

  • Family Day - Monday, February 15, 2021
  • Easter - Good Friday April 2 and Easter Monday April 5, 2021
  • Victoria Day - Monday, May 24, 2021
  • Canada Day - Thursday, July 1, 2021
  • Civic Holiday - Monday, August 2, 2021
  • Labour Day - Monday, September 6, 2021
  • Thanksgiving - Monday, October 11, 2021
  • Remembrance Day - Thursday, November 11, 2021
  • Christmas Day and Boxing Day - since these are on a weekend this year, closure dates are expected during the week. Stay tuned for details. 

Collection continues as usual, except for Christmas Day and New Years Day. When these holidays fall on weekdays, collection will be delayed one day for that day, and the rest of the week, as necessary. We will advertise changes to the collection schedules on our website, through local media and social media, and on our waste app.

  • This year with Christmas Day and New Years Day falling on the weekend, there will be no changes to collection.

Please note: Given the volume of waste (especially recyclables!) set out during the holidays, our collectors may be using different types of trucks and may collect your waste at different times during the day.

Double garbage days

You can set out twice the regular amount of garbage bags/cans at your curb for collection (without the need for garbage tags) on your garbage day following these holidays:  
  • New Year's Day
  • Good Friday
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Day

Next Double Garbage Days:

  • If you live in the Cities of Cambridge or Waterloo, you may set out double the garbage limit during the following weeks:
    • from December 28, 2020 to January 2, 2021
    • from January 11 to 15, 2021
  • If you live in the City Kitchener or in the Townships, you may set out double the garbage limit during the weeks
    • from January 4 to 8, 2021
    • from January 18 to 22, 2021

Christmas Tree collection: January 4 to 15, 2021

 The next opportunity to "tree-cycle" your natural Christmas or holiday tree is from January 4 to 15, 2021.

  • Set it out by 7 a.m. on your collection day.
  • Keep it natural! Remove all lights, ornaments, and stands. Do not bag.
  • Cut trees that are longer than 1.8 meters (6 feet) in half.
  • Keep it visible and accessible for collection crews. Do not place your tree on or behind a snowbank.

Recycling and disposal options of natural Christmas trees after our special Christmas Tree collection program has ended:

  • Drop off your natural Christmas tree to our waste management sites. (Fees will apply.) It will be chipped and made into mulch.
  • Set it to the curb for collection on your next garbage collection day. It will count as a Bulky Item and go to landfill.  

Please note: 

  • If you set an artificial tree to the curb for collection, it will be collected as a Bulky Item. 

 

Subscribe to this Page

Contact Us


ROW logo

City of Cambridge

City of Kitchener

City of Waterloo

Township of North Dumfries

Township of Wellesley

Township of Wilmot

Township of Woolwich

© 2021 Region of Waterloo, 150 Frederick St., Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4J3, Telephone: 519-575-4400,  Deaf and Hard of Hearing (TTY): 519-575-4608, Fax: 519-575-4481, Email Us

AccessibilityContact UsWebsite FeedbackPrivacy StatementTerms of UseSitemapCareers and Volunteering
Designed by eSolutionsGroup

I Want To...

Report or Request

  • By-law concern
  • Concern with construction and road closure
  • Concern with signs and signals
  • Found a needle
  • Immunization records
  • Make a complaint
  • Make a complaint, compliment or feedback about transit
  • Report a waste collection issue
  • More...
  • View All..

Apply or Register

  • Affordable Housing
  • Help for a child with special needs in child care
  • Help to pay for child care
  • Home Child Care
  • Ontario Works
  • Permit or license
  • Volunteer
  • More...

Pay

  • For garbage tags
  • My water bill
  • My invoice
  • My Provincial offence or traffic ticket
  • More...

Talk to Us

  • Communicate with Council
  • Contact Us
  • Find information about community services
  • Provide input on Regional issues
  • Rate our services
  • Subscribe to news and alerts
  • More...

Search Results

Search Results: