Castlegar garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits

When is garbage collected, and what are the rules for carts, limits, and extra bags?

Castlegar, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

The City of Castlegar collects garbage every second week, on the alternate week to recycling, in a 120 L dark-grey-lid cart. Carts go out on collection day only, not before 4 a.m. (the City asks for 7 a.m.). Find your day with Recycle Coach or call 250-365-5979.

Key facts

How often	Organics weekly. Garbage every second week. Recycling every second week, on the alternate week to garbage.Curbside Waste Management Program, City page: Curbside Waste Management Program; Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw 1408, consolidated to December 2025, Bylaw 1408, s. 8 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Organics Cart: Weekly Collection Garbage Cart: Bi-Weekly Collection Recycling is collected the alternate week to garbage. a) Organics on a weekly collection frequency. b) Garbage on a bi-weekly collection frequency.
Finding your day	Look up your day with the Recycle Coach tool on the City's curbside page or its free app, or the collection schedule and map at castlegar.ca/curbside. Questions and missed collections: 250-365-5979 or civicworks@castlegar.ca.Curbside Waste Management Program, City page: Curbside Waste Management Program; Curbside Waste FAQs, City page: Curbside Waste FAQs · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Download the Recycle Coach app for collection day reminders and service alerts For curbside collection information, missed collections or cart replacements call 250-365-5979 or email civicworks@castlegar.ca. A collection schedule is available on the City’s website at castlegar.ca/curbside.
Carts	Each home gets a 120 L garbage cart (dark grey lid), a 240 L organics cart (green lid) and two recycling containers. A second 121 L garbage cart can be applied for. For replacement or repair call 250-365-5979; fees may be charged.Curbside Waste Management Program, City page: Curbside Waste Management Program; Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw 1408, consolidated to December 2025, Bylaw 1408, ss. 5-6; Curbside Waste FAQs, City page: Curbside Waste FAQs · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Collected in City-Supplied 240 Litre Collection Cart, Green Lid Collected in City-Supplied 120 Litre Collection Cart, Dark Grey Lid a) One 242 L (64 gallon) bear resistant organics collection cart. b) One 121 L (32 gallon) bear resistant garbage collection cart. c) Two recycling containers. Property owners of an eligible property may apply to the City for a second 121 L garbage collection cart. The City is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged carts. contact the City at 250-365-5979 to discuss repairs or replacement. Fees may be charged.
Setting carts out	On collection day only, not before 4:00 a.m. (the City asks for carts to be out by 7:00 a.m.; collection runs 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.). Unclip wildlife clips; face carts to the street at the curb or lane; keep 1 m between carts, 2 m from vehicles and 3 m clear above.Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw 1408, consolidated to December 2025, Bylaw 1408, ss. 21, 23, 24; Curbside Waste Management Program, City page: Curbside Waste Management Program · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording unclipped and be placed in a location free from obstructions at least one meter horizontally on all sides from another collection cart or recycling container, at least two meters Collection carts shall not be unlocked or placed on any City lane, street or boulevard prior to 4:00 a.m. on the day of collection. place your carts or bins at the curb between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Do not put carts or bins out the night before.
Limits and extra garbage	Garbage is limited to the garbage cart (a second 121 L cart can be applied for). No liquids in carts; wet garbage, ashes and sawdust must be bagged or wrapped. Hot ashes and Christmas trees are not collected. No weight limit or extra-bag tags are stated.Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw 1408, consolidated to December 2025, Bylaw 1408, ss. 6, 27, 28, 33 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No liquids shall be put in or be allowed to accumulate in any collection cart. All wet garbage, floor sweepings, ashes and sawdust or other granular materials must be in a bag or wrapped before being place within the garbage collection cart. Additional fees for the extra cart, a one-time administration fee, and an additional annual collection fee will be charged
Fee	2026 annual rates: garbage $160.07, organics $156.47, recycling $4.65, billed quarterly ($40.02, $39.12 and $1.17). Second garbage cart service: $160.07 a year.Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw 1408, consolidated to December 2025, Bylaw 1408, Schedule A; Utility Rates, City page: Utility Rates · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Garbage Collection $ 160.07 Organics Collection $ 156.47 Recycling Collection $ 4.65 Additional Garbage Collection Service $ 160.07 ## Curbside Pickup \| Type \| Base Rate \| Garbage \| $40.02 Quarterly \| Organics \| $39.12 Quarterly \| Base Rate \| Garbage \| $40.02 Quarterly \| Organics \| $39.12 Quarterly \| Recycling \| $1.17 Quarterly \| $40.02 Quarterly \| Organics \| $39.12 Quarterly \| Recycling \| $1.17 Quarterly ### Related Bylaws - Bylaw 1408 - Residential Curbside Collection & Disposal Bylaw (Consolidated)
Bylaw	Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw No. 1408Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw 1408, consolidated to December 2025, Bylaw 1408, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording The Bylaw may be cited as the "Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw No.1408".

How it works

Under Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw 1408, garbage is collected every second week, recycling on the alternate week, and organics weekly. Each home gets a 120 L garbage cart (dark grey lid), a 240 L organics cart (green lid) and two recycling containers. The service is mandatory and billed in full even when you are away. Only Christmas and New Year's holiday schedules change.

Steps

Look up your collection day with Recycle Coach on the City's curbside page, in its free app, or on the collection schedule and map at castlegar.ca/curbside.
Put the cart out on collection day only, not before 4 a.m. Unclip the wildlife clips and face the cart to the street at the curb or lane.
Keep 1 m between carts, 2 m from vehicles and 3 m clear above.
For a missed collection or a cart repair, call 250-365-5979 or email civicworks@castlegar.ca.

Good to know

The bylaw bars set-out before 4 a.m. and requires carts to be unlocked and accessible from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; the City page asks for carts out by 7 a.m. Confirm which applies to you. When to bring carts back in is not stated.
Garbage is limited to the cart. A second 121 L cart can be applied for. No weight limit or extra-bag tags are stated.
No liquids. Wet garbage, ashes and sawdust must be bagged or wrapped. Hot ashes and Christmas trees are not collected.
A late quarterly balance carries a 5% penalty on the unpaid instalment. The first cart damaged beyond repair by wildlife is replaced free if it was properly secured.
A ticket for curbside collection offences is $200, or $100 if paid within 30 days (Bylaw 1179).

What you'll need

Your street address, to look up your collection day

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Fruitvale · Trail · Warfield · Rossland · Montrose · Nelson

Garbage collection in British Columbia: frequency, limits and fees by municipality →

Sources

Curbside Waste Management Program, City of Castlegar (read 2026-11-05)
Curbside Waste FAQs, City of Castlegar (read 2026-11-05)
Residential Curbside Collection and Disposal Bylaw 1408, consolidated to December 2025 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Utility Rates, City of Castlegar (read 2026-11-05)
Municipal Ticketing Bylaw 1179, consolidated to June 2026 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)

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