Courtenay garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits

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

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

Short answer

The City of Courtenay collects garbage and recycling every second week on alternating weeks, and organics every week, on a day set by one of four zones. Put carts out no earlier than 5 a.m. and before 8 a.m. Waste outside the cart is not collected. The fee is $359.50 a year for a house or duplex.

Key facts

How often	Organics (green cart) every week. Garbage and recycling every second week, on alternating weeks. After a weekday statutory holiday your collection day shifts by one day.Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023, s. 9; Collection zones and schedule · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording weekly Curbside Collection of the Organics Cart; and alternating Bi-Weekly Curbside Collection of the Garbage Cart and the Recycling Cart. Garbage and recycling are collected every second week, on alternating weeks. Your collection day will shift by one day after each weekday statutory holiday (the add-a-day schedule).
Finding your day	Your day depends on which of the City's four collection zones you live in. Use the Zone A-D schedules or the Courtenay Collects app (calendar and reminders) and the Waste Wizard.Collection zones and schedule · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Your collection day depends on where you live. The City has four collection zones to improve efficiency and reliability. Sign up for weekly reminders and service alerts using the Calendar tool with the Courtenay Collects app.
Carts	Single homes and duplexes: 360 L recycling, 360 L organics, 120 L garbage. Secondary suite or carriage house gets a second set of 240 L / 120 L / 120 L. Townhouses, fourplexes and mobile home park homes: 240 L / 120 L / 120 L. Exchange: the first exchange per property is free under the bylaw; later exchanges $65. Extra carts cost an annual fee.Collection carts, Cart sizes; Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023, s. 26 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Single-residential dwellings and duplex units receive one set of the following carts: 360 L recycling (blue lid) 360 L organics (green lid) 120 L garbage (black lid) A $65 administrative fee applies only to households that have previously requested a cart exchange. No fee is payable for an Owner’s first Cart Exchange Request for each Serviced Property.
Setting carts out	Put carts out no earlier than 5 a.m. and before 8 a.m. on collection day, lids closed with arrows facing the road, 1 m clear on all sides and 3 m above. Remove them by 10 p.m. that day.Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023, s. 11; Garbage, How to set out your cart · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording place Collection Carts with the lids in the fully closed position, no earlier than 5 AM and prior to 8 AM on each Collection Day remove all Collection Carts from the roadway, alley, shoulder, parking lane, or other collection location, no later than 10 PM on each Collection Day Place your garbage cart (black lid) at the curb between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. on your collection day.
Limits and extra garbage	Carts are collected only up to a weight limit: 120 L cart 55 kg (122 lb), 240 L cart 102 kg (227 lb), 360 L cart 146 kg (322 lb). Extra waste outside the cart will not be collected. An additional 120 L garbage cart costs $140.20 a year.Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023, s. 21, Table 2; Garbage, Important reminders; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1673 (consolidated July 2026), Sched. III App. IV · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording 120 L Cart 240 L Cart 360 L Cart 55 KG (122 LB) 102 KG (227 LB) 146 KG (322 LB) Extra waste outside the cart will not be collected. Garbage Cart (120 L): $140.20
Fee	$359.50 a year for single residential dwellings and duplexes. $326 a year for multi-residential detached, manufactured homes in mobile home parks, fourplexes and secondary suites inside single homes. Charged on the annual property tax notice.Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1673 (consolidated July 2026), Sched. III App. IV, A and B; Collection zones and schedule, Waste collection fees · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Single Residential Dwelling (SRD) Unit / Duplex Basic Annual Fee: 120 L 360 L 360 L $359.50 120 L 120 L 240 L $326.00 Charges appear on your annual property tax notice.
Bylaw	Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023 (rules); Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1673 (fees)Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023, s. 1; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1673 (consolidated July 2026), s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023 City of Courtenay Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1673, 1992

How it works

The City of Courtenay's curbside service is carried out by its contractor, Emterra Environmental. Organics (green cart) are collected every week; garbage and recycling every second week, alternating. Your day depends on which of the four collection zones (A to D) you live in. Use the zone schedules, the Courtenay Collects app (calendar and reminders) or the Waste Wizard. The service is charged on your property tax notice and cannot be opted out of. See Solid Waste Management Bylaw 3113.

Steps

Find your zone and day on the City's collection zones and schedule page.
Put carts out no earlier than 5 a.m. and before 8 a.m. on collection day, lids closed with arrows facing the road, with 1 metre clear on all sides and 3 metres above.
Remove them by 10 p.m. that day.

Good to know

Cart sizes: single homes and duplexes get a 360 L recycling, 360 L organics and 120 L garbage cart. A secondary suite or carriage house gets a second set of 240 L, 120 L and 120 L. Townhouses, fourplexes and mobile home park homes get 240 L, 120 L and 120 L.
Weight limits: 55 kg (122 lb) for a 120 L cart, 102 kg (227 lb) for 240 L, 146 kg (322 lb) for 360 L. Extra waste outside the cart is not collected.
The first cart exchange per property is free under the bylaw; later exchanges are $65. Extra carts cost an annual fee; request them at solidwaste@courtenay.ca or 250-338-1525.
No bag tags or pay-per-bag system was found.
A bylaw notice of $100 applies for carts out before 5 a.m., left past 10 p.m., or blocking sidewalks and bike lanes.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Comox · Cumberland · Powell River · Campbell River · Port Alberni · Qualicum Beach

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

Sources

Garbage, City of Courtenay (read 2026-11-05)
Collection zones and schedule, City of Courtenay (read 2026-11-05)
Collection carts, City of Courtenay (read 2026-11-05)
Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1673 (consolidated July 2026) (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)

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