Winnipeg Garbage & Recycling

The City of Winnipeg provides curbside waste collection for most houses, including garbage, recycling, and seasonal yard waste services. Everything is managed through the city’s Solid Waste Services program.

Your Standard Curbside Service (Most Houses)

If you own a single-family home, duplex, or small multi-unit property (7 units or fewer), you receive cart collection service.

What you get

When you move in, the property should already have:

  • ♻️ 1 recycling cart (blue lid) — typically 240 L

  • 🗑️ 1 garbage cart (black lid) — typically 240 L

The carts belong to the property, not the homeowner, so they stay when someone moves.

If your new build doesn’t have carts yet, you must contact 311 to arrange delivery.

Collection Schedule

  • Garbage and recycling are collected weekly, year-round on your assigned day.

  • Put your carts out by 7:00 a.m. on collection day.

  • Holiday weeks may shift your pickup by one day.

Placement rules

  • Place carts at back lane or front curb (depends on your street)

  • Leave space between carts and obstacles

  • Lids must fully close — overflowing carts are not collected

Recycling Program

Winnipeg uses single-stream recycling, meaning most recyclables go together.

Accepted items

  • Paper & cardboard

  • Rigid plastic packaging

  • Glass bottles & jars

  • Metal food and beverage containers

Quick tips:

  • Rinse containers

  • Do NOT bag recyclables (loose items only)

The city provides an online tool called Recyclepedia to check where items belong.

Garbage Collection

Garbage is disposed of at the Brady Road landfill.

Garbage rules

  • Bag your garbage

  • Lid must close completely

  • No items beside the cart

  • Hazardous waste is NOT allowed

If you have more garbage than fits:

  • Book extra garbage or large-item pickup (fee applies)

Yard Waste Collection (Seasonal)

Houses with cart service also receive yard waste pickup.

Season

  • Typically spring through fall (May–November)

  • Collected every two weeks on your regular collection day

Accepted yard waste

  • Leaves

  • Grass clippings

  • Garden plants

  • Small branches

  • Pumpkins (decorations removed)

Use:

  • Paper yard waste bags

  • Cardboard boxes

  • Reusable open containers

  • No plastic bags

Large Items & Special Waste

For items that don’t belong or fit in carts:

Option A — Large Item Pickup

You can schedule pickup for:

  • Furniture

  • Appliances

  • Bulky items (fee required)

Option B — 4R Winnipeg Depots

Drop-off locations accept:

  • Electronics

  • Paint & chemicals

  • Metals & appliances

  • Yard waste

  • Renovation materials (some limits apply)

These depots help divert waste from landfill.

Compost & Food Waste

Winnipeg currently does NOT have citywide curbside compost pickup yet.

  • Food waste can be taken to community drop-off locations

  • A curbside compost (“green cart”) program is planned for the future (target around 2030). Pilot programs are in testing now in select neighbourhoods.

How You Pay for It

Waste collection is included as a Waste Management Fee on your City of Winnipeg utility bill (same bill as water/sewer).

You don’t pay per pickup — it’s a flat municipal service charge.

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