---
title: "Houston garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits"
question: "When is garbage collected in Houston, and what are the rules for carts, limits, and extra bags?"
place: Houston, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/houston
category: Garbage, recycling and waste
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Houston
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/garbage-collection/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/garbage-collection.json"
---

# Houston garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits

**Question:** When is garbage collected in Houston, and what are the rules for carts, limits, and extra bags?

**Short answer:** In Houston, garbage is collected weekly from a mandatory 240 L Toter cart, up to 60 kg. Check the Garbage Collection Route Maps on the District's garbage page for your day. The 2026 residential garbage fee is $168.13 per unit.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Houston, https://houston.ca)  
**Cost:** Residential garbage fee: $168.13 per unit for 2026, rising to $210.16 in 2027. Tag-a-Cart tag for an extra cart: $5 in 2026.  
**How long:** Weekly collection.  
**Where:**
- In person: Municipal Office, 3367 12th Street, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed statutory holidays)
- Phone: Municipal Office, 250-845-2238 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Online: Garbage page and route maps, https://houston.ca/community/public-works-and-operations/garbage/
- In person: RDBN transfer station and recycling depot, 8072 Aitken Road (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, closed statutory holidays)

## Key facts

- **How often:** Garbage is collected weekly (one Toter Cart, up to 60 kg). The District's pages describe no curbside recycling or organics collection. The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako lists a transfer station and recycling depot for Houston at 8072 Aitken Road, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, closed statutory holidays.
  - Source: [Garbage, Residential Solid Waste Regulations](https://houston.ca/community/public-works-and-operations/garbage/)
  - Official wording: "Garbage Collection is restricted to weekly removal of one Toter Cart not exceeding 60 kilograms."
  - Source: [Recycling, Garbage and Utilities, Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako, RDBN Transfer Station and Recycling Depot Hours of Operation](https://www.rdbn.bc.ca/departments/recycling-garbage-andutilities)
  - Official wording: "RDBN Transfer Station and Recycling Depot Hours of Operation" … "Houston and Area G (Houston/Granisle Rural) 8072 Aitken Road (located at Knockholt Landfill)" … "All locations are closed statutory holidays"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Finding your day:** Use the Garbage Collection Route Maps linked on the District's garbage page. When a statutory holiday falls on a pick-up day the page posts the revised day.
  - Source: [Garbage, Garbage Pick Up](https://houston.ca/community/public-works-and-operations/garbage/)
  - Official wording: "Information about collection dates and routes can be found here:" … "Garbage Collection Route Maps"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Carts:** Toter Garbage Carts are mandatory. A cart must be 240 L (64 gallons) with a lid. Buy one from a local retailer or online (the bylaw also lets the District sell them). The District does not replace or repair carts or lids that are damaged or lost.
  - Source: [Garbage, Residential Solid Waste Regulations](https://houston.ca/community/public-works-and-operations/garbage/)
  - Official wording: "Toter Garbage Carts are mandatory for all residential, institutional, and commercial no bin garbage collection." … "It must be a 240L (64-gallon) capacity, and" … "It must have a lid to keep out critters and prevent litter."
  - Source: [Solid Waste Regulations & Rates Bylaw No. 1044, 2013, consolidated, s. 7.0(c)](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145791/)
  - Official wording: "The Municipality shall not be responsible for the replacement or repair of any containers, carts"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Setting carts out:** Put the cart out by 8:00 a.m. on collection day, accessible and within a metre of the curb. Nothing is collected from private property or driveways.
  - Source: [Garbage, Residential Solid Waste Regulations](https://houston.ca/community/public-works-and-operations/garbage/)
  - Official wording: "All residential solid waste receptacles must be accessible and within a meter of the curb or curb line." … "by 8:00 AM on the designated collection day." … "No solid waste will be removed from private property or from driveways on private property."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits and extra garbage:** One cart a week, up to 60 kg. For more, buy a Tag-a-Cart tag at the Municipal Office for each extra cart ($5 per tag in 2026; single use). Restricted materials (yard waste, construction waste, tires, batteries, paint, cardboard and others) may be refused.
  - Source: [Garbage, Residential Solid Waste Regulations; Restricted Materials](https://houston.ca/community/public-works-and-operations/garbage/)
  - Official wording: "Tags must be purchased for each additional garbage toter you wish to have picked up" … "the District of Houston reserves the right to not remove these materials:"
  - Source: [Comprehensive Fees & Charges Amending Bylaw No. 1228, 2026, Schedule C-3, 1.(d) Tag-a-Cart](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145047/)
  - Official wording: "(I) Tag~a-Cart (Additional Bins)‘ pertaglbin 5.00 6.25 6,44 6.63 6.83"
  - Source: [Solid Waste Regulations & Rates Bylaw No. 1044, 2013, consolidated, s. 3.0(b)](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145791/)
  - Official wording: "contents of each solid waste receptacle shall not exceed 60 kilograms per receptacle."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** Residential garbage fee: $168.13 per unit for 2026, rising to $210.16 in 2027. Billed at the District's choice either quarterly by invoice (due in 30 days) or annually on the property tax notice. Owners in the collection area pay whether or not they use the service.
  - Source: [Comprehensive Fees & Charges Amending Bylaw No. 1228, 2026, Schedule C-3, 1. User Rates - Inside Collection Area](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145047/)
  - Official wording: "a) Residential per unit 168.13 210.16 216.46 222.95 229.64"
  - Source: [Solid Waste Regulations & Rates Bylaw No. 1044, 2013, consolidated, ss. 11.0, 12.0](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145791/)
  - Official wording: "responsible for the payment of all solid waste user fees, whether the service is actually used or not." … "quarterly through an invoice in the form provided by the District from time to time and due"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Solid Waste Regulations & Rates Bylaw No. 1044, 2013. Rates: Comprehensive Fees & Charges Bylaw No. 1094, 2017, Schedule C-3, as amended (Bylaw No. 1228, 2026).
  - Source: [Solid Waste Regulations & Rates Bylaw No. 1044, 2013, consolidated, title](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145791/)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited as the “Solid Waste Regulations & Rates Bylaw No. 1044, 2013”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The District of Houston collects residential garbage weekly under [Solid Waste Regulations & Rates Bylaw No. 1044](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145791/). The District's pages describe no curbside recycling or organics collection. The Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako lists a transfer station and recycling depot for Houston at 8072 Aitken Road, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and closed statutory holidays.

## Steps

1. Find your collection day on the Garbage Collection Route Maps linked on the District's garbage page. When a statutory holiday falls on a pick-up day, the page posts the revised day.
2. Use a Toter Garbage Cart: 240 L (64 gallons) with a lid. Buy one from a local retailer or online. The District does not replace or repair carts or lids that are damaged or lost.
3. Put the cart out by 8:00 a.m. on collection day, accessible and within a metre of the curb. Nothing is collected from private property or driveways.

## Good to know

- **Limit:** one cart a week, up to 60 kg. For more, buy a Tag-a-Cart tag at the Municipal Office for each extra cart ($5 per tag in 2026; single use).
- **Restricted materials** (yard waste, construction waste, tires, batteries, paint, cardboard and others) may be refused.
- **Billing:** at the District's choice, quarterly by invoice (due in 30 days) or annually on the property tax notice. Owners in the collection area pay whether or not they use the service.
- No page read says when to bring carts in.

## Official forms and pages

- [Garbage, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/public-works-and-operations/garbage/)
- [Solid Waste Regulations & Rates Bylaw No. 1044, 2013, consolidated (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145791/)

## Related questions

- [Houston backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/backyard-fire.md)
- [Houston watering restrictions](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/water-restrictions.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Garbage collection in British Columbia: frequency, limits and fees by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/garbage-collection.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/garbage-collection.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/garbage-collection.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/garbage-collection.md)
- [Burns Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burns-lake/garbage-collection.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/garbage-collection.md)
- [Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hazelton/garbage-collection.md)

## Sources

- [Garbage, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/public-works-and-operations/garbage/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Solid Waste Regulations & Rates Bylaw No. 1044, 2013, consolidated (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145791/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Comprehensive Fees & Charges Amending Bylaw No. 1228, 2026 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/145047/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Recycling, Garbage and Utilities, Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako](https://www.rdbn.bc.ca/departments/recycling-garbage-andutilities) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 7 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Houston. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/garbage-collection/_