Seasonal guide · Ontario
Fall Leaf Cleanup in Ontario: When to Rake and When Your City Picks Up
IllustrationIn Ontario, leaf collection runs from late October to early December in most cities. Plan a light rake in late October and your big leaf cleanup in early to mid November. Then get everything out before your city's last pickup. Dates swing a lot. Kingston starts the week of October 26. Cambridge starts November 9. Brantford takes yard waste weekly until December 4. Check your own city's page for your week.
When do Ontario cities pick up leaves in fall 2026?
There's no single Ontario leaf day. Each city runs its own program. Some take loose leaves raked to the road. Others only take leaves in paper bags or open bins. Here's what seven cities say for this fall:
| City | Fall 2026 leaf pickup | How to set out |
|---|---|---|
| Kingston | Leaf weeks by zone, from October 26 to November 27 | Paper bags or rigid bins |
| Woodstock | October 19 to November 27. Last day to rake out is November 23 | Loose at the curb |
| Kitchener | One pickup week in coloured zones: November 2 to 6, 9 to 13 or 16 to 20 | Loose at the road |
| Cambridge | November 9 to about December 11 | Loose at the road |
| Brantford | Weekly, September 28 to December 4, up to 30 bags or bins | Kraft paper bags or marked rigid bins |
| Hamilton | Weekly, no limit. Last fall's final curbside week was December 1, 2025 | Brown paper bags or marked rigid bins |
| Windsor | Four fall pickups between October and December | At the curb, no alley pickup |
For the full local rules, see our guides for Kingston, Kitchener, Cambridge and Hamilton. Our Ontario lawn care page lists every city we serve.
Should you bag leaves or rake them to the road?
It depends on your city, and getting it wrong means your leaves sit there.
Cities that want loose leaves
Woodstock only picks up loose leaves raked close to the curb. Bagged leaves won't be collected. Kitchener and Cambridge also pick up loose leaves raked to the side of the road.
In Kitchener, not every street gets this. Your options depend on where you live. Heavily treed "hot spot" areas get pickup as often as needed. Coloured zones get one week in November. Outside those zones, you bag leaves for the Region of Waterloo's yard waste pickup. Use the City's lookup tool to find your area.
Cities that want bags or bins
Kingston says plainly: don't just rake leaves to the curb. They won't be picked up. Use paper leaf bags or rigid bins like garbage cans or bushel baskets. Hamilton and Brantford also want brown kraft paper bags, or open rigid bins marked with yard waste stickers.
Weight limits matter when leaves are wet:
- Kingston: 20 kg (44 lb) per bag or bin
- Hamilton: 50 lb per bag
- Region of Waterloo: 23 kg (50 lb) per bag or can
And skip the plastic. Kingston, Hamilton and the Region of Waterloo won't take leaves in plastic bags. Kingston won't take compostable plastic bags either. Our post on yard waste bags vs bins covers this in more detail.
When should you rake leaves in Ontario?
Two passes work best for most yards. Do a light rake in late October, once about half the leaves are down. That stops thick mats from smothering the grass. Then do the big cleanup in early to mid November, timed to your pickup week.
Don't rake to the road too early
Loose leaf cities are strict about this. Kitchener says don't rake leaves to the road before the weekend ahead of your pickup date. Until then, keep them on your lawn or boulevard. Cambridge says the weekend before is best. Raking onto the road allowance well before your date may bring by-law enforcement.
Timing out on the day matters too. In Kitchener, leaves must be at the road by 7 a.m. on the first day of your pickup week. In Kingston, bags must be at the curb by 8 a.m. on the Monday of your leaf week. Crews may come any day that week.
Does the first frost end the season?
No. Frost comes weeks before the grass stops growing. Here are the average first fall frost dates from Environment Canada's climate normals:
- Kitchener area (Region of Waterloo airport): around October 2
- Barrie: October 9
- Brantford: October 10
- Kingston: October 12
- Belleville: October 13
- Hamilton airport: October 14
- Windsor: October 30
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada puts the end of Brantford's growing season at about November 5. So in places like Brantford, grass can keep growing into early November. Keep mowing until it stops. Mowing over leaves on those last cuts makes your cleanup lighter. Our guide to the last mow of the season explains when to stop.
Where should leaf piles go, and where shouldn't they?
A good pile sits close to the edge of the road and holds only leaves. Cambridge asks you to leave sticks and branches out. They can break equipment and hurt crews.
Keep leaves off these spots:
- Storm drains and sewer grates. A blocked drain can flood the street.
- Sidewalks
- Bike lanes
Watch where you park, too. In Cambridge, if a car is parked on the road over your pile, workers go around it. They may not come back for those leaves.
Kingston has another catch. Brush and leaves have separate weeks. Brush put out in leaf week won't be picked up, and leaves put out in brush week won't be either. Leaf week does take small sticks and garden waste like tomato plants.
What if you miss your leaf pickup week?
Leaves keep falling after the trucks pass. Here's where they can go:
- Kitchener: eight leaf drop-off sites are open seven days a week in daylight, October 9 to December 4, 2026. Leaves only, dumped loose. Take your bags home.
- Cambridge: bag leaves for Region of Waterloo yard waste, or take them to the Cambridge Waste Management Centre at 201 Savage Dr. It's open Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fees may apply.
- Region of Waterloo: yard waste comes every second week until the end of November or early December. After the season ends, bagged leaves go to landfill as garbage and count toward your garbage limit.
- Windsor: the Public Drop Off Depot is open Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., until November 28, 2026.
- Hamilton: last year, after December 5, the City pointed people to free yard waste drop-off at its Community Recycling Centres.
- Woodstock: after November 23, compost leaves on your property or take them to the Yard Waste Depot.
What if it snows first?
Snow can cut a program short. Cambridge says heavy snow and ongoing freezing can delay or end leaf pickup early. Woodstock says winter control comes first if it snows during leaf pickup. That's a good reason not to leave your big cleanup to the last week.
Can you mulch leaves instead of bagging them?
Often, yes. Cambridge encourages people to leave leaves on their own property, or mulch or compost them at home. It says finely chopped leaves can stay on the lawn and break down there. Kitchener suggests mowing over leaves to make mulch, and raking whole leaves onto garden beds.
Mulching works when leaves are light. A thick, wet layer is a different story. That still needs raking or it can mat down over winter. See mulching leaves with a lawn mower and should you leave leaves on your lawn to decide.
Can a local crew handle your fall leaf cleanup?
Yes. Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local crew in your Ontario city. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.
Your crew can time a fall cleanup to your city's pickup week. They can rake leaves into loose piles or fill paper bags, whichever your city wants. They can also keep up lawn mowing until the grass stops, chopping leaves as they go. Ask your crew about haul away if you have more leaves than your city takes.
We measure your yard from satellite images, so no one needs to visit. Your price depends on lawn size, leaf volume, beds, slopes, gates and haul away. It comes by text in 60 minutes. You keep the same crew every visit. Book the season with 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.
Ontario Leaf Collection Questions
When does leaf collection start in Ontario?
It depends on the city. In 2026, Woodstock starts October 19, Kingston starts the week of October 26 and Cambridge starts November 9. Brantford and Hamilton take yard waste weekly through the fall. Check your city's page for your week.
Can I put leaves in plastic bags in Ontario?
Not in most cities. Kingston, Hamilton and the Region of Waterloo won't pick up leaves in plastic bags. Use brown paper yard waste bags or an open rigid bin instead.
Can I rake leaves onto the street?
Only in cities with loose leaf pickup, and only near your pickup date. Kitchener says no earlier than the weekend before, and Cambridge says that's best. Kingston won't collect loose leaves at all. Never rake onto storm drains, sidewalks or bike lanes.
What happens to my leaves if it snows before pickup?
Pickup may be delayed or end early. Cambridge says heavy snow can end its program early, and Woodstock puts winter control first. Use your city's drop-off site, or bag leaves for yard waste pickup while it's still running.
Rules change, so check with your City before you plan. Sources: Kingston brush and leaf pickup 2026, Kingston household waste collection, Woodstock 2026 City Services Calendar, Woodstock fall loose leaf collection, Kitchener leaf collection, Region of Waterloo yard waste, Cambridge leaf collection, Brantford yard waste, Hamilton yard waste, Hamilton winter yard waste notice, Windsor yard waste, Windsor Public Drop Off, Environment Canada climate normals, AAFC Brant County soil survey.
