Cambridge Leaf Collection and Fall Yard Waste Guide for 2026

Cambridge leaf collection for 2026 starts November 9 and runs to about December 11. City crews pick up loose leaves raked to the edge of the road. Rake out the weekend before your date, not sooner. Enter your address in the City's map to see your start date. Bagged leaves go out with the Region's yard waste pickup, or to the drop-off at 201 Savage Drive.

When is leaf collection in Cambridge this year?

The City of Cambridge says its 2026 Leaf Collection Program starts on November 9, 2026. It runs until about December 11, 2026.

Most years, the program starts in the second week of November. It wraps up in the first week of December. The dates can shift. They depend on when the trees drop their leaves and when winter shows up.

Your street gets its own start date inside that window. The City's leaf collection page has a map. Type in your address and it shows when the crews expect to reach you.

Date	What happens
Every second week, to late November or early December	Region yard waste pickup
Weekend before your date	Best time to rake leaves to the road
November 9, 2026	City loose leaf program starts
About December 11, 2026	City loose leaf program ends

The Region's season ends at the end of November or early December, based on your pickup schedule. So check your own week before you count on it.

How do you rake leaves out for City pickup?

Timing matters most. The City says not to rake too early. The weekend before your collection date is best. Raking onto the road allowance well before your date can get you a visit from by-law enforcement.

When your weekend comes, follow these City rules:

• Rake leaves to the side of the road, as close to the edge as you can.
• Keep sticks, branches and other stuff out of the pile.
• Keep leaves off storm sewer grates, sidewalks and bike lanes.
• Remind kids not to play in roadside leaf piles.

Why no sticks? The City says non leaf material can damage the equipment. It can also delay the work or hurt the crews.

A tip from the ground: walk the lawn for sticks before you rake. It's much easier than picking them out of a big pile later.

What equipment picks up Cambridge leaves?

The City uses front-end loaders, dump trucks, leaf vacuums and street sweepers. This fall that means four loader crews, two leaf vacuums and three sweepers.

Each area gets the equipment that fits how many leaves it has. You don't pick the machine, but you do control how clean your pile is.

Why does parking matter?

A car parked on the road beside or on top of your pile blocks the crew. The City says workers will go around the vehicle and keep going. They may not come back for the leaves where the car was parked.

The City also says staff may not be able to revisit areas they've already done. So your leaves need to be out and clear when the crew comes. If you can, park in the driveway during your pickup window.

What happens if it snows early?

Snow is the big wild card. City staff watch the weather the whole time. Heavy snow and long freezing spells can delay the program or end it early.

If snow ends it early, the City will think about pickup again once the weather allows. That isn't a promise of a date.

Here's why that matters. The average first fall frost for this area comes around October 2. That's based on Environment and Climate Change Canada's long-term normals for the Region's airport station, and the record has gaps. Leaves keep dropping for weeks after the first frost. A wet leaf pile frozen into the curb is hard to move. So don't leave your rake-out to the last day.

How do you put out leaves for Region yard waste pickup?

The Region of Waterloo picks up yard waste every second week. That's the opposite week from your garbage. The season runs from late March to the end of November or early December, based on your schedule.

Here's how the Region wants it set out:

• Paper yard waste bags, not overfilled, kept dry so they hold together
• Or a can with two handles and no lid, under 48 cm wide, 84 cm tall or 121 litres
• A bright ribbon on the can handle, or a yard waste sticker on the side
• Each bag, can or bundle under 23 kg (50 pounds)
• At the curb by 7 a.m., where crews can see it, not behind a parked car

Free yard waste stickers are yours by calling the Region at 519-575-4400. You can also grab one at the Cambridge Waste Management Site on Savage Drive.

What won't the Region take?

Plastic bags stay at the curb. So do blue boxes, pails and cardboard boxes. Soil, sod, stones and stumps are out too.

Branches are fine if you bundle them. Keep each piece under 7.5 cm (3 inches) thick and 92 cm (3 feet) long. Tie them with jute or cotton twine, not wire, tape or plastic cord. Fallen fruit, pine cones and your old pumpkin can go too. Take off the candle and decorations, and set the pumpkin beside your bags.

Watch the end date. After the Region's season ends, bagged yard waste goes to the landfill as garbage. It counts toward your garbage limit.

Where can you drop off leaves in Cambridge?

Take bagged leaves and other yard waste to the Cambridge Waste Management Centre at 201 Savage Dr. It's open Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The City says fees may apply, so ask before you load the car.

This is also your backup plan. If you miss your collection period, the City suggests two choices. Bag leaves for the Region's yard waste pickup, or bring them to the Savage Drive site.

Do you have to rake every leaf in Cambridge?

No. Cambridge is a designated Bee City. The City asks people to leave fallen leaves on their own property where they pile up naturally, when they can. Leaves shelter bees, butterflies and moths over the winter. They also act as a natural mulch that holds back weeds and adds nutrients to the soil.

The City and Region suggest a few ways to use leaves at home:

• Run the mower over them to shred them. Finely chopped leaves can stay on the lawn and feed the soil.
• Layer whole leaves on garden beds in the fall.
• Add leaves bit by bit to your compost. Wet them and mix them with other scraps so they break down faster.

Leave the leaves in the beds and under shrubs. On the lawn it's different. A thin layer you can chop up is fine. A thick, wet mat that sits all winter can smother the grass. Our post on mulching leaves with a lawn mower explains when shredding works and when to rake instead.

Weeds or disease turning up under the leaves? Our partner crews don't spray, and we don't give advice on weed killers or other chemicals.

How should you plan fall cleanup around your date?

Whether you live in Galt, Preston, Hespeler or a newer area, leaves don't all drop at once. Plan for more than one pass.

1. October: rake or mulch the first leaves while they're dry. Bag extras for the Region on your yard waste week.
2. The weekend before your date: do the big rake. Clear the lawn, walks and beds you want clean. Pull out sticks, and pile leaves at the road edge.
3. During your window: keep cars off the pile and leaves off grates, sidewalks and bike lanes.
4. After the crews pass: late leaves go into Region bags before the season ends, or to Savage Drive.

Keep mowing while the grass grows. In Cambridge, yard grass and weeds can't be taller than eight inches (about 20 cm). The City's corridor by-law also says boulevard grass beside your home can't pass 20 cm. For more local rules, soil and weather, see our Cambridge lawn care page. Next door in Kitchener, the rules are different. Our Kitchener leaf collection guide covers them.

Can someone handle the leaves for you?

Yes. With a one-pass City pickup and a weather cutoff, timing is half the job. Lots of people would rather have it done right on the right weekend.

Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local crew in Cambridge. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.

Your crew can do a fall cleanup timed to the weekend before your date. They can keep up your regular mowing until the grass stops growing too. Ask your crew how they handle haul away for extra leaves.

We price every yard by its size from satellite images, so no one needs to visit. A cleanup price depends on lawn size, how many leaves you have, gates, slopes, hedges and haul away. You get your price by text in 60 minutes. You keep the same crew every visit, and they text you a photo when the job is done. Book the season through the Worry-Free Lawn Season and your first cut is free.

Want it handled? Get your price in 60 minutes, or call 1-866-904-LAWN.

Cambridge Leaf Collection Questions

Rules change, so check with the City before you plan. Sources: Cambridge leaf collection, Region of Waterloo yard waste, Cambridge by-law inquiries, Corridor By-law 21-050, Waterloo Wellington climate normals.