A paper lawn waste bag filled with leaves.

Residential leaf collection starts this weekend

October 18 2023 –

Fall is here and it’s time to remind residents about our seasonal leaf collection services and what actions we can all take to prevent flooding and keep our sidewalks and streets safe.

Extra leaf collection weekends

Leaves collected by residents from their property, sidewalk, and boulevard can be put in the green bin. Extra leaves that don’t fit into the green bin can be placed in paper yard waste bags or in store-bought bins (maximum 100 litres) and set out for collection on the following designated weekends.

Collection Zone Collection Dates

North collection zones

Red North, Blue North, Green North, Purple North and Yellow North
  • October 21-22
  • November 18-19
  • December 9-10
  • January 13-14, 2024 (Christmas trees also collected)

South collection zones

Red South, Blue South, Green South, Purple South and Yellow South
  • October 28-29
  • November 25-26
  • December 16-17
  • January 20-21, 2024 (Christmas trees also collected)

Residents can confirm their leaf pickup schedule online and entering their address.

Leaf collection tips

  • 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 prevent them from tearing during collection. 
  • If your leaves are not collected on your scheduled weekend, please leave them set out. Crews will return to missed areas. 
  • Do not set out leaves in plastic bags, including plastic bags labelled compostable or biodegradable.
  • Do not set out your green bin on extra leaf collection weekends. Residents should set out their green bin on their regular scheduled collection day.

More options for extra leaves

Residents with extra leaves may also:

  • Drop off leaves and other yard trimmings for a fee at the Vancouver South Transfer Station or at the 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 the 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.

Leaf removal from City streets starts in November

Starting in mid-November, the City coordinates a city-wide leaf clearing program to remove fallen leaves from streets. To avoid fines and help ensure our crews can do the best job possible, vehicle owners should comply with all temporary no stopping signage posted on City streets. 

Help prevent flooding

Residents and businesses should never rake or blow leaves onto catch basins, streets, sidewalks or bike lanes. Raking or blowing leaves onto the street or sidewalk can create a safety hazard for pedestrians and cyclists, can cause flooding, and is a fineable offence under the Street and Traffic By-Law. Help us prevent flooding and adopt your own catch basin and keep it clear throughout the year. There are more than 45,000 catch basins that need adopting.

Collected leaves are turned into compost

Collected leaves are turned into nutrient-rich compost at the Vancouver Landfill. This compost can be purchased by residential gardeners, commercial landscapers, and municipal park boards.

Find out more about the City’s seasonal leaf collection program. 

To get reminders for leaf collection weekends, garbage and green bin pickup days and community zero waste events, download the Vancollect app.