How-to · Canada
Paper Yard Waste Bags vs Bins: What Canadian Cities Accept
IllustrationMost Canadian cities take yard waste in brown paper (kraft) bags or in a sturdy, open-top can. Almost none take plastic bags, and many say no to "compostable" plastic too. Paper bags are cheap and easy, but they tear when wet. Cans last for years, but most cities want them a set size, under a weight limit and marked as yard waste. Your city's page has the final say.
Why won't cities take plastic yard waste bags?
Curbside yard waste gets composted. Hamilton's goes to an outdoor composting site at Glanbrook. Plastic gets in the way there.
Chilliwack says it plainly. Plastic bags, even ones marked compostable or biodegradable, are not accepted at its composting facility. Other cities just say no:
- Hamilton: plastic bags filled with yard waste will not be collected.
- Kingston: leaves in plastic bags, or in bags that look like plastic, stay at the curb.
- Windsor: no plastic bags for yard waste. They won't be picked up.
- Region of Waterloo (Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo): no plastic bags, and no reusable fabric yard waste bags either.
That last one surprises people. A reusable yard bag seems like the green choice. But the Region won't collect yard waste set out in one. Check before you buy.
Are compostable bags OK for leaves?
It depends on the city, and the rules really do split.
London takes certified compostable bags along with paper bags and reusable containers. Most other cities in this post say no. St. Albert won't collect leaves in certified compostable bags. Kingston says plastic bags, even compostable ones, aren't acceptable. Lethbridge won't take plastic film in the green cart, even if it says compostable or biodegradable.
So if a bag looks like plastic, assume it's a no unless your city's page says yes. Paper is the safe pick almost everywhere.
When is a paper yard waste bag the better choice?
Paper bags work best for dry leaves and light garden waste. You fill them, fold the top and set them out. The truck takes the bag too, so there's nothing to bring back in.
Some cities take paper bags only for leaves:
- Thunder Bay: kraft (paper) bags only, with no bag limit. Each bag must weigh less than 18 kg (40 lb).
- Fredericton: leaves go in compostable paper bags only. Loose leaves aren't collected.
- Chilliwack: on top of your green cart, you can set out up to 10 extra paper yard waste bags or bundles a week, year-round. Each one can weigh up to 15 kg.
What's the catch with paper bags?
Water. A soggy paper bag gets heavy and the bottom gives out. The Region of Waterloo says to keep paper bags dry so each one is strong enough at pickup. It suggests a tarp, a shed or a garage. It also says not to set bags out the night before if rain and wind are coming.
Hamilton asks you to roll bags shut at the top, with no branches sticking out. It also says to store them somewhere dry until collection day.
When is a can or bin the better choice?
A rigid can is better for wet, heavy stuff. Windsor is the clearest example. It says not to put grass clippings in paper bags, because the moisture rots the bottom. Clippings there must be dried and put in garbage cans. Windsor only collects them in spring and fall.
A can also saves you from buying bags every week. But cities that take cans have rules about them. These are the most common:
- Size. Hamilton caps containers at 135 L. Windsor lists 125 L garbage cans. London takes reusable containers from 30 to 125 L. St. Albert caps leaf cans and bins at 80 L (21 gallons).
- Handles. Hamilton wants handles on opposite sides. The Region of Waterloo wants two handles.
- No lid at the curb. The Region of Waterloo says to set the can out without a lid. Hamilton wants an open-top container.
- A label. Hamilton wants City yard waste stickers on the container, facing the street. The Region of Waterloo wants a bright ribbon on the handle or a yard waste sticker on the side.
Do you need to drill holes in a yard waste can?
In Hamilton, yes. The City says to drill holes in the sides and bottom so water drains out. It also says to remove bungee cords and ties before pickup. Hamilton's stickers are free at Municipal Service Centres and Community Recycling Centres.
The Region of Waterloo has its own size limit. Your can must be under 48 cm across, 84 cm tall or 121 litres.
How do the rules compare city by city?
Here's a quick look at the curbside rules we checked. Weight limits apply to each bag or container.
| City | Paper bags | Cans or bins | Weight limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | Yes | Yes, up to 135 L, with stickers | 50 lb (about 23 kg) |
| Kingston (leaves) | Yes | Yes, rigid cans and bushel baskets | 20 kg (44 lb) |
| Kitchener and Cambridge | Yes | Yes, up to 121 L, ribbon or sticker | 23 kg (50 lb) |
| London | Yes | Yes, 30 to 125 L | 20 kg |
| Windsor | Yes | Yes, 125 L cans and roll-out carts | 20 kg (44 lb) |
| Thunder Bay | Yes, only paper | No | 18 kg (40 lb) |
| St. Albert (leaves) | Yes | Yes, up to 80 L | 25 kg (50 lb) |
| Fredericton (leaves) | Yes, only paper | No | Not listed |
Windsor makes one exception. Its Herby Curby wheeled containers don't have to stay under 20 kg.
Can you use cardboard boxes or bushel baskets?
Sometimes. This is where cities differ the most.
- Windsor takes cardboard boxes. It even suggests boxes, pails or yard waste bags for thorny branches.
- Belleville takes kraft paper bags, cardboard boxes, canisters and bushel baskets. Crews empty them and leave them at the curb.
- Hamilton takes bushel baskets, but not cardboard boxes or blue boxes.
- Kingston takes leaves loose in bushel baskets, garbage cans or other rigid containers.
- The Region of Waterloo won't collect yard waste in cardboard boxes, blue boxes or pails.
Does yard waste go in the green bin or green cart?
Only in some cities. In Lethbridge, St. Albert and Chilliwack, the green cart takes leaves, grass and yard waste. Lethbridge even lets you put paper yard waste bags inside the cart.
Many Ontario cities keep the two apart. Hamilton no longer takes grass and yard waste in the green bin. Its yard waste goes out in bags or labelled cans instead. If your city has a green bin, check its "not accepted" list before you fill it with leaves.
How do you keep your bags from being left behind?
Most missed bags come down to a few simple things. Here's what helps:
- Rake when the leaves are dry. Wet leaves make bags heavy fast.
- Don't overfill. Half fill bags of wet leaves and fold the top over.
- Lift each bag before it goes out. If it's a strain, it's likely over the limit.
- Keep bags off the sidewalk and away from storm drains.
- Write your address on your yard waste can so it comes back to you.
- Keep dirt, rocks and sod out. Hamilton and the Region of Waterloo both refuse them.
Timing matters too. In the Region of Waterloo, yard waste set out after the season ends goes to the landfill as garbage. It counts toward your garbage limit.
Can you cut down how many bags you need?
Yes. Windsor says to mow or mulch leaves before you bag them. Three containers' worth will then fit into one. Our guide to mulching leaves with a lawn mower shows how.
A short mow during leaf season helps too. Regular lawn mowing chops thin leaf drops before they pile up, so there's less to rake later.
Can a local crew bag and haul it for you?
Yes. Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local crew in your city. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.
A fall cleanup rakes the lawn and beds, then bags the leaves to your city's rules or hauls them away. Pair it with weekly cuts in the Worry-Free Lawn Season. The same crew comes every visit and texts you a photo when the job is done.
We price every yard from satellite images, so no one needs to visit. Lawn size, leaf volume, gates, slopes and haul-away all change the price. For city-specific details, see our guides to Hamilton yard waste and Kitchener leaf collection.
Want it handled? Get your price in 60 minutes, or call 1-866-904-LAWN.
Yard Waste Bag Questions
Can I put leaves in plastic garbage bags?
Almost never for yard waste pickup. Hamilton, Kingston, Windsor, Thunder Bay, Fredericton and the Region of Waterloo all refuse plastic bags. Use paper yard waste bags or a can your city accepts.
Do I need a sticker on my yard waste can?
In some cities, yes. Hamilton wants its free City yard waste stickers on the can, facing the street. The Region of Waterloo takes a sticker or a bright ribbon on the handle. Other cities don't ask for one, so check your city's page.
How heavy can a yard waste bag be?
Limits we found run from 15 kg in Chilliwack to 25 kg (50 lb) in St. Albert. Many cities sit at 20 to 23 kg. Wet leaves get heavy fast, so half fill bags after rain.
Can I put grass clippings in paper yard waste bags?
It depends on the city. Windsor says no, because wet clippings rot the bag bottom, and wants dried clippings in cans. In green cart cities like St. Albert and Lethbridge, clippings go in the cart.
Rules change, so check with your City before you plan. Sources: City of Hamilton yard waste, City of Kingston household waste, Region of Waterloo yard waste, City of Windsor yard waste, City of Belleville leaf and yard waste, City of London yard waste, City of Thunder Bay leaf and yard, City of Fredericton yard waste, City of St. Albert leaf pickup, City of St. Albert organics, City of Lethbridge green carts, City of Chilliwack compostables, Chilliwack Bylaw 5541.
