---
title: "North Cowichan garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits"
question: "When is garbage collected in North Cowichan, and what are the rules for carts and limits?"
place: North Cowichan, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/north-cowichan
category: Garbage, recycling and waste
owner: municipal
owner_body: Municipality of North Cowichan
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/garbage-collection/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/garbage-collection.json"
---

# North Cowichan garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits

**Question:** When is garbage collected in North Cowichan, and what are the rules for carts and limits?

**Short answer:** North Cowichan collects organics every week and garbage and recycling on alternate weeks, for single-family homes. Enter your address in the Curbside schedules calendar tool or use the MNC Curbside app to find your day. Carts go out between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. and must be in by 10 p.m.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Municipality of North Cowichan, https://www.northcowichan.ca)  
**Cost:** Billed to the property owner on the utility bill, three times a year. Annual cost for 80 L garbage + 80 L organics (the default): $157. Other combinations: 80+120 $187; 120+120 $232; 240+120 $312; 240+240 $367. Cart exchange $30. A home with a secondary suite pays for two services.  
**How long:** Garbage and recycling alternate every other week; organics weekly. Holidays shift collection by a day.  
**Where:**
- Online: Curbside schedules (address calendar and reminders), https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection/curbside-schedules-and-waste-wizard
- Phone: Operations (Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), 250-746-3106

## Key facts

- **How often:** Organics (kitchen and yard waste) every week. Garbage and recycling alternate every other week. Applies to single-family homes; apartments, stratas, mobile home parks, businesses and institutions arrange their own collection. Holidays shift the schedule by a day.
  - Source: [Curbside collection, intro](https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection)
  - Official wording: "Organics (kitchen and yard waste) is collected every week, and recycling and garbage alternate every other week"
  - Source: [Waste Collection Bylaw No. 4012, 2025, ss. 10, 44](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-08/4012_Waste-Collection-Bylaw-2025_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "weekly Curbside Collection of the Organics Cart" … "a multi-residential apartment or condominium"
  - Source: [Curbside schedules and Waste Wizard, FAQ](https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection/curbside-schedules-and-waste-wizard)
  - Official wording: "collection days skip a day each time there is a holiday"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Finding your day:** Enter your address in the calendar tool on the Curbside schedules page (print it or get text, email or phone-call reminders), or use the free 'MNC Curbside' app. Call Operations at 250-746-3106 (Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). New homes are added when occupancy is issued.
  - Source: [Curbside schedules and Waste Wizard, Curbside calendars and reminders](https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection/curbside-schedules-and-waste-wizard)
  - Official wording: "Use the calendar tool to input your address to view your calendar" … "Download the "MNC Curbside App"" … "250-746-3106 (Monday–Friday, 7:30am–4:00pm)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Carts:** The Municipality supplies carts: default 80 L garbage and 80 L organics for a single home; a home with a secondary suite gets a 240 L garbage and 120 L organics cart by default. Larger or smaller sizes (120 L, 240 L) by cart exchange request (form online, $30 per exchange, one exchange per 3 months, may be refused). Bear-resistant carts only in 120 L and 240 L, at an extra fee. Recycling goes in your own containers or $3 yellow bags.
  - Source: [Waste Collection Bylaw No. 4012, 2025, ss. 19-20, 28, Table 1](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-08/4012_Waste-Collection-Bylaw-2025_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Default size: 1 x 80L Garbage Cart" … "Bear Resistant Carts, available in 120L and 240L sizes only" … "once every 3"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3784, 2020, Schedule I, Schedule I, items 15-16](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-04/Fees%20and%20Charges%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Cart exchange (up to two carts per exchange) $30 per exchange" … "Recycling bag $3 each"
  - Source: [Curbside collection, intro](https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection)
  - Official wording: "Request larger, smaller, and/or bear resistant curbside carts"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Setting carts out:** Put carts out between 5 AM and 8 AM on collection day with lids closed, with 1 m of space around each cart and the handle facing your property, on the road shoulder or street at your property line (or in the driveway behind the curb when cars block the roadway, or other places listed). Remove them by 10 PM the same day. Carts out outside those times can be fined.
  - Source: [Waste Collection Bylaw No. 4012, 2025, s. 12](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-08/4012_Waste-Collection-Bylaw-2025_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "place Collection Carts and Recycling Containers, with the lids in the fully closed position" … "between 5 AM and 8 AM" … "no later than 10 PM"
  - Source: [Curbside schedules and Waste Wizard, intro](https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection/curbside-schedules-and-waste-wizard)
  - Official wording: "make sure carts are placed at the curb by 8am on your scheduled pickup day"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits and extra garbage:** Garbage cart weight limits: 80 L cart 36 kg (80 lb), 120 L cart 59 kg (130 lb), 240 L cart 109 kg (240 lb); overweight carts are not collected. Excess garbage is not collected; keep it for next time or take it to a depot such as Bings Creek. No sharps or syringes; double-bag pet waste. No bag-tag or extra-bag program was found.
  - Source: [Waste Collection Bylaw No. 4012, 2025, s. 23, Table 2, s. 32](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-08/4012_Waste-Collection-Bylaw-2025_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "will not collect any Garbage or Organic Waste which exceeds the capacity" … "36KG (80LB)" … "shall make their own arrangement for disposal at an Approved Disposal Site"
  - Source: [Garbage, Common questions](https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection/garbage)
  - Official wording: "Excess garbage can be kept for your next collection day, or taken to a depot such as Bings Creek for disposal" … "Pet waste must be double bagged"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fee:** Charged to the property owner on the utility bill (water, sewer and garbage), billed three times a year. Single-family annual cost by cart combination: 80 L garbage + 80 L organics $157 (the default); 80+120 $187; 120+120 $232; 240+120 $312; 240+240 $367. A home with a secondary suite pays for two services. Paper utility bill costs $2 per billing.
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3784, 2020, Schedule I, Schedule I, items 1-14, section 3](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-04/Fees%20and%20Charges%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "80-litre garbage cart and 80-litre organics cart:" … "Tri-annual per dwelling unit (annual cost of $157)" … "240-litre garbage cart and 240-litre organics cart:" … "(annual cost of $367)" … "Customers who elect to receive a paper utility bill shall be charged a fee of $2.00 per billing cycle"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Waste Collection Bylaw No. 4012, 2025 (adopted July 16, 2025); fees in Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3784, 2020, Schedule I.
  - Source: [Waste Collection Bylaw No. 4012, 2025, s. 1](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-08/4012_Waste-Collection-Bylaw-2025_1.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Waste Collection Bylaw No. 4012, 2025"
  - Source: [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3784, 2020, Schedule I](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-04/Fees%20and%20Charges%20Bylaw.pdf)
  - Official wording: "SCHEDULE I – WASTE COLLECTION FEES"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Waste Collection Bylaw](<https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-08/4012_Waste-Collection-Bylaw-2025_1.pdf>), the Municipality collects organics (kitchen and yard waste) every week, and garbage and recycling on alternate weeks. This covers single-family homes. Apartments, stratas, mobile home parks, businesses and institutions arrange their own collection.

The Municipality supplies the carts. A single home gets an 80 L garbage cart and an 80 L organics cart by default. A home with a secondary suite gets a 240 L garbage and 120 L organics cart by default. Recycling goes in your own containers or $3 yellow bags.

## Steps

1. Find your day: enter your address in the calendar tool on the Curbside schedules page (print it, or get text, email or phone-call reminders), or use the free "MNC Curbside" app. New homes are added when occupancy is issued. Call Operations at 250-746-3106 if needed.
2. Put carts out between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. on collection day with lids closed, 1 m of space around each cart and the handle facing your property. Place them on the road shoulder or street at your property line (or other places listed in the bylaw).
3. Take carts in by 10 p.m. the same day. Carts out outside those times can be fined.
4. To change cart size (120 L or 240 L), use the online cart exchange form. It costs $30 per exchange, one exchange per 3 months, and may be refused. Bear-resistant carts come only in 120 L and 240 L, at an extra fee.

## Good to know

- Weight limits for garbage carts: 80 L cart 36 kg (80 lb), 120 L cart 59 kg (130 lb), 240 L cart 109 kg (240 lb). Overweight carts are not collected.
- Excess garbage is not collected. Keep it for next time or take it to a depot such as Bings Creek. No bag-tag or extra-bag program was found.
- No sharps or syringes. Double-bag pet waste.
- Carts out of time is a $100 bylaw notice.
- Holidays shift collection by a day. The Municipality's web page says carts must be out "by 8am"; the bylaw says between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m., so follow the bylaw.

## Official forms and pages

- [Waste Collection Bylaw No. 4012, 2025 (PDF)](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-08/4012_Waste-Collection-Bylaw-2025_1.pdf)

## Related questions

- [North Cowichan yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/yard-waste.md)
- [North Cowichan bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Garbage collection in British Columbia: frequency, limits and fees by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/garbage-collection.md)
- [Duncan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/duncan/garbage-collection.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/garbage-collection.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/garbage-collection.md)
- [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/garbage-collection.md)
- [Lake Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/garbage-collection.md)
- [Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/garbage-collection.md)

## Sources

- [Curbside collection, Municipality of North Cowichan](https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Curbside schedules and Waste Wizard, Municipality of North Cowichan](https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection/curbside-schedules-and-waste-wizard) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Garbage, Municipality of North Cowichan](https://www.northcowichan.ca/municipal-services/curbside-collection/garbage) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Waste Collection Bylaw No. 4012, 2025 (PDF)](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-08/4012_Waste-Collection-Bylaw-2025_1.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3784, 2020, Schedule I (PDF)](https://www.northcowichan.ca/sites/default/files/2025-04/Fees%20and%20Charges%20Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Municipality of North Cowichan. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-cowichan/garbage-collection/_