Yard Waste Collection

This page outlines the City's yard waste collection schedule, accepted yard waste items, proper packaging and weight, proper storage outside of your collection week, and frequently asked questions.

Yard Waste Collection Schedule

*Please place yard waste materials curbside by 7am (4:30am in the downtown BIA) on your regular collection day of your yard waste collection week. Yard waste will be collected before end of day Friday. The collection contractor may adjust collection vehicle routing throughout the year to aid in efficient collection; ensure your materials are placed curbside by this time to ensure material is collected.
Every-Other-Week Collection* Opposite your garbage week	April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
No Collection	February, March, December
Weekly Collection, Christmas Trees Only	January Beginning the first full week of January and ending the last full week; Christmas tree collection occured January 6–31 in 2025.

Ways to Determine your Schedule

Businesses and institutions must register for Business/Institutional Curbside Waste Collection and be approved to receive municipal waste services. The address may appear in tools listed below, but please note the service is not available unless the business/institution has successfully registered.

Refer to the map in the Waste Collection Calendar.
Look up your address.
Search your address using the interactive map.
Download the City's mobile app and look up your address under Your Collection Schedule.
Call 705-726-4242 (Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm) and Service Barrie staff will look up your collection day based on your address.

Accepted Yard Waste Items

Acceptable yard waste items are listed below. Please refer to the Waste Item Lookup Tool to check for specific items.
- Bales of straw
- Christmas trees (trees must not exceed 1.8m or 6 feet in length, be free of ornaments and stands)
- Garden waste
- Grass clippings
- Leaves and brush
- Sod
- Tree trimmings
Unacceptable items in yard waste are listed below. Please refer to the Waste Item Lookup Tool to check for specific items.
- Bundles larger than 1.2m (4ft) in length
- Bundles larger than 0.3m (1ft) in diameter
- Bundles/bags/bins/containers that weigh more than 20kgs (45lbs)
- Christmas trees exceeding 1.8m (6ft) in length
- Dirt and rocks
- Food waste, including fruits and vegetables from the garden
  Please place food waste in your organics (green bin)
- Garbage materials
- Milled lumber
- Pet waste
  Please place dog waste, plant-based kitty litter and bedding for small animals in your organics (green bin), using certified compostable bags.
- Plastic pots and plastic packaging
- Stumps or tree limbs with a diameter in excess of 7cm (3in)
- Tree limbs in excess of 1.2m (4ft) in length
- Unbundled brush, street sweepings

Did you know? Compost is generated from Barrie’s leaf and yard waste collection program and sold when available at the landfill site. In 2023, the landfill received 7,952 tonnes of yard waste from residential and commercial sources.

Proper Yard Waste Packaging, Weight, & Storage

Residents and businesses can put out an unlimited number of yard waste bags/containers on the Monday of their yard waste collection week. Clippings from trees and shrubs should be tied securely in small bundles to permit easy handling. Bundles/containers must be:

no larger than 1.2m (4ft) in length
no larger than 0.3m (1ft) in diameter
no heavier than 20kg (45lbs) in weight
have limbs no more than 7cm (3in) in diameter each (and bundled per above)

Outside of your collection week, yard waste should be stored in a covered, dry location so the bags/cans do not become overweight due to moisture and so the paper bags remain intact for collection.

The following containers are acceptable for packaging yard waste for curbside collection in Barrie:
- garbage cans up to 120 L (must have exterior handles)
- paper leaf and yard waste bags
The following containers are not acceptable for packaging yard waste for curbside collection in Barrie:
- green bins
- blue and grey recycling boxes
- plastic bags
- cardboard boxes

Try Leaving your Leaves in the Fall

You can improve the health of your yard or garden by using your mower to mulch leaves, instead of raking them up and bagging them. Benefits of mulching and leaving your leaves:

Mulched leaves make excellent fertilizer.
Mulched leaves break down quickly and can add important nutrients to your soil.
Leaving your mulched leaves on your lawn can save you money by not having to purchase yard waste bags.

Did you know? Leaves can also be a great addition to a backyard composter. They can be used to cover layers of food waste in your backyard composter.

When completing yard maintenance, remember to adhere to the regulations outlined in the City’s Yard Maintenance By-law.

Frequently Asked Questions

The timing of the curbside yard waste collection program is targeted to collect during months where yard work, gardening and raking are being done. In the fall, that would primarily be September, October, and November. Once December comes and the cold weather sets in (often with a snowfall), there generally isn’t a need for collection until spring. November has historically been when the City collects the greatest tonnage of yard waste by far, with very little material collected in December. 
Should residents have material after their last yard waste collection in the fall, it can be brought to the Barrie Landfill year-round.  Also, many residents find that “leaving their leaves” and mulching is beneficial for their lawns as the leaves break down naturally and return nutrients and organic matter back to the soil.
Yes, residential yard waste can be dropped off at City of Barrie's Landfill Site at 272 Ferndale Drive North. There is no charge for the first 100kg of each load. The remainder of the weight over 100kg is $60.00/tonne.
A $10.00 minimum charge applies to commercial yard waste for loads under 100kg. Loads 100kg and over are charged $60.00/tonne for total weight of load.
If the materials are packaged in plastic bags, the bags must be removed. Branches in excess of 7cm (3in) in diameter will be charged the regular user rate for garbage. Sod is accepted at the landfill site as long as the soil has been removed. Topsoil or 'clean fill' is NOT accepted at the landfill site.
Please place yard waste bags, no heavier than 20kg (45lbs) in weight, in reasonable condition (no deterioration, rips or tears) to the curb by 7am on your regular collection day of your yard waste collection week.
When placed out on the week of your collection, if bags become damaged by weather the contractor will still collect the bags. The contractor will make every effort to carefully transfer all bags of yard waste without spilling contents, however, should a bag break while being transferred, the contractor is responsible for cleanup.
Tips to help avoid damaged bags:
- Roll the tops of the yard waste bags closed and place the bags as close together as possible at the curb to help keep them dry.
- Consider placing them in a storage shed, garage or under a tarp until collection.
- Don't place yard waste on the road or blocking the sidewalk.
Please remember to sort your waste for collection and have it curbside by 7am on your collection day/week. If you believe your collection of organics, garbage or yard waste was missed, please contact Emterra at customercare.barrie@emterra.ca or 1-833-253-8207.
Contacting the contractor directly allows for efficient concern resolution. The City monitors all inquiries. Trucks are equipped with technology to fully investigate concerns.

Yard Waste Collection