Rake it easy! Residential leaf collection kicks off this weekend
As autumn leaves begin to pile up, it’s the season to remind residents about our seasonal leaf collection services and what actions to take to reduce the risk of flooding and keep our sidewalks and streets safe.
Extra leaf collection weekends
Residents can place leaves collected from their property, sidewalk, and boulevard into their green bin for regular collection. Extra leaves that don’t fit in the green bin can be placed in paper yard waste bags or store-bought bins (max.100 litres) and set out on designated collection weekends listed below. To confirm your leaf pickup schedule go online and enter your address.
| Collection Zone | Collection Dates (set out leaves on the Saturday) |
|---|---|
| North collection zones Red North, Blue North, Green North, Purple North & Yellow North |
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| South collection zones Red South, Blue South, Green South, Purple South & Yellow South |
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Extra leaves can also be set out on January 10, 2026 and will be picked up during our Christmas tree collection period (January 10 to 31, 2026).
Set out tips for residents:
✓ Set out leaves before 7 am on the scheduled Saturday to ensure pickup.
✓ Keep filled paper leaf bags as dry as possible before setting them out to help prevent them from tearing during collection.
✓ If leaves are not collected on the scheduled weekend, please keep them set out. Crews will return to missed areas.
X Do not set out leaves in plastic bags, including plastic bags labelled compostable or biodegradable.
X Do not set out your green bin on extra leaf collection weekends.
More options for extra leaves
- Drop off leaves and other yard trimmings for a fee at the Vancouver South Transfer Station or Vancouver Landfill in Delta.
- Collect and store leaves throughout the year and add them to your backyard composter (if you have one) or use them in your green bin to layer with food scraps to help reduce odours and pests.
- Use them as mulch in the garden to retain moisture, suppress weeds and insulate the soil from severe temperatures.
City street leaf removal begins in November
Starting in mid-November, the City will launch its city-wide leaf clearing program to remove fallen leaves from streets. To help our crews work efficiently, please be sure to move your vehicle whenever temporary “No Stopping” signs are posted on your street.
Help prevent flooding
Residents and businesses should never rake or blow leaves onto catch basins, streets, sidewalks or bike lanes. Doing so creates a safety hazard for pedestrians and cyclists, can cause flooding, and is subject to fines under the Street and Traffic By-Law. You can help reduce the risk of flooding by adopting a catch basin and keeping it clear all year long. There are over 33,000 catch basins across the city waiting for volunteers to adopt them.
Collected leaves become compost
Collected leaves are turned into nutrient-rich compost at the Vancouver Landfill. This high-quality compost is available for purchase by home gardeners, commercial landscapers and municipal park departments.
Find out more about our seasonal leaf collection program.
To get reminders for leaf collection weekends, garbage and green bin pickup days, and community zero waste events, download our Vancollect app.