THE City of Vancouver’s annual leaf collection services begin soon and the City wants to remind residents about the actions everyone can take to prevent flooding and keep streets and sidewalks 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 on the following leaf collection weekends:

• October 30 and 31
• November 20 and 21
• December 18 and 19
• January 15 and 16, 2022 (Christmas trees will also be collected)

City crews collect leaves on either the Saturday or Sunday, but not both days. To ensure pickup, residents should set their leaves out before 7 a.m. on the scheduled Saturday.

✓  Residents are encouraged to keep their filled paper leaf bags as dry as possible before setting them out to prevent the bags from tearing during collection.

X   Leaves set out in plastic bags will not be collected, including bags labelled compostable or biodegradable plastic.

X   There is no Green Bin pickup service on extra leaf collection weekends. Residents should set out their Green Bin on their regular scheduled collection day.

Residents can get reminders for leaf collection weekends, scheduled waste pickup days, recycling drop-off events, and litter cleanup events by downloading the VanCollect app.

Leaf removal from City streets

Starting in mid-November, the City coordinates a city-wide street cleaning 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 or 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. You can help prevent flooding by adopting your own catch basin and keep it clear throughout the year. Find out how at vancouver.ca/catchbasin

Collected leaves are turned into compost for purchase

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. Leaves and other yard trimmings can also be dropped off for a fee at the Vancouver South Transfer Station located at 377 West Kent Avenue North and at the Vancouver Landfill located at 5400 72 Street in Delta.

Find more about the City’s seasonal leaf collection program at vancouver.ca/leaves.