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

# Northern Rockies garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits

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

**Short answer:** In Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, curbside garbage is collected weekly inside the Fort Nelson collection service area, using a 240 litre cart the municipality supplies. The fee is $50 a quarter under the 2014 bylaw schedule. The sources we read give no way to look up your collection day; call Public Works.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, https://www.northernrockies.ca)  
**Cost:** $50 per quarter (2014 bylaw schedule; a newer rate was not found), billed with utilities. 10% penalty if not paid by the end of the quarter. Additional cart $100 ($50 refunded when returned) plus an additional annual collection fee. Replacement cart before 10 years: $100.  
**How long:** Collection is weekly. The collection day is not stated.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Public Works (collection day, damaged cart, billing), 250.774.2541
- Email: Public Works administration, pwadmin@northernrockies.ca
- Phone: Wide Sky Disposal (recycling), 250.774.6528

## Key facts

- **How often:** Curbside garbage is collected weekly inside the collection service area (Fort Nelson). Recycling goes to the Wide Sky Disposals depot (4501 55th Street); green waste to designated bins at the landfill.
  - Source: [Garbage and Recycling, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, intro](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/garbage-recycling)
  - Official wording: "operates curbside garbage collection on a weekly basis." … "Residents living outside the collection service area shown on the map are responsible for their own waste disposal"
  - Source: [Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 3.3](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/84129/)
  - Official wording: "shall provide waste collection to each specified residence"
  - Source: [Garbage and Recycling, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Recycling Depot](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/garbage-recycling)
  - Official wording: "Wide Sky Disposals Ltd." … "4501 55th Street | P: 250.774.6528"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Finding your day:** Not confirmed. The sources read give no way to look up a collection day.
- **Carts:** A 240 litre cart supplied by the municipality stays with the address. One cart per single-family home, two per duplex, up to three per triplex, up to four per fourplex. An additional cart is $100 ($50 refunded when returned) plus an additional annual collection fee; a replacement cart before 10 years is $100.
  - Source: [Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 2, 5.1, 5.5, 5.12 and Schedule B](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/84129/)
  - Official wording: "means a 240 litre wheeled container supplied by the Municipality" … "Single family dwelling – one cart." … "Fee for each replacement solid waste cart: $100" … "Fee for each additional solid waste cart: $100 ($50 of which will be refunded upon the return of the cart to the Municipality)"
  - Source: [Garbage and Recycling, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, intro](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/garbage-recycling)
  - Official wording: "Carts are tracked by address, so if you move, don't move your cart"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Setting carts out:** Set the cart out on collection day after 5:00 a.m. and before 8:00 a.m., at the curb in front of the property, lid closed and facing the street; remove it and store it by 7:00 p.m. Leave 1 m clear on all sides and 3 m above.
  - Source: [Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 6.2, 6.4](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/84129/)
  - Official wording: "placed prior to 8:00am, but not before 5:00am, on the day scheduled for" … "by 7:00pm on the day scheduled for the collection of solid waste." … "one metre horizontally on all sides of the solid waste cart"
  - Source: [Garbage and Recycling, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Setting out your cart](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/garbage-recycling)
  - Official wording: "On collection day, bins should only be curbside between 5:00am and 7:00pm."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Limits and extra garbage:** Lid must close fully; the cart and contents must not weigh over 100 kg; all waste in the cart must be in a plastic bag. Prohibited items include liquids, hazardous waste, lead acid batteries and burning waste. Extra waste: an additional cart (annual fee) or the landfill.
  - Source: [Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, s. 5.14, 5.15, Schedule C](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/84129/)
  - Official wording: "so that the combined weight of the solid waste cart and its contents" … "exceed 100 kg." … "must be enclosed within a plastic bag" … "refuse that is on fire or smoldering"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** $50 per quarter under Schedule B of the bylaw, mandatory for each specified residential property whether or not occupied or used; billed with utilities, not property taxes. 10% penalty if not paid by the end of the quarter.
  - Source: [Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, Schedule B and s. 9.1, 9.2, 9.4](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/84129/)
  - Official wording: "Quarterly fee for solid waste collection service: $50" … "subject to a 10% penalty added at the end of the quarter." … "mandatory and due and payable by each owner of a specified residential property"
  - Source: [Water and Sewer, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, intro](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/water-sewer)
  - Official wording: "Water, sewer and residential garbage collection services are not billed with property taxes."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014; Garbage Disposal and Wildlife Attractants Bylaw No. 05, 2009 (bear-safe storage).
  - Source: [Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, cover](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/84129/)
  - Official wording: "Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014"
  - Source: [Garbage Disposal and Wildlife Attractants Bylaw No. 05, 2009 (PDF, consolidated February 2020), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality, cover](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9396/)
  - Official wording: "Garbage Disposal and Wildlife Attractants Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Under the [Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/84129/), garbage is collected weekly inside the collection service area. The 240 litre cart stays with the address: one per single-family home, two per duplex, up to three per triplex, up to four per fourplex. The fee is mandatory for each specified residential property whether or not it is occupied. Recycling goes to the Wide Sky Disposals depot at 4501 55th Street; no curbside recycling is described.

## Steps

1. Set the cart at the curb in front of the property on collection day after 5:00 a.m. and before 8:00 a.m., lid closed and facing the street.
2. Leave 1 m clear on all sides and 3 m above.
3. Remove the cart and store it by 7:00 p.m.
4. Store it bear-safe the rest of the week, under the [Garbage Disposal and Wildlife Attractants Bylaw](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9396/).

## Good to know

- The lid must close fully. The cart and contents must not weigh over 100 kg, and all waste must be in a plastic bag.
- Prohibited: liquids, hazardous waste, lead acid batteries and burning waste.
- For extra waste, get an additional cart or use the landfill. A typical residential load at the landfill is a $5 flat rate.
- A cart left out outside the allowed times is a $200 bylaw notice.
- Spring Fling: one week in spring of free residential landfill disposal.

## Official forms and pages

- [Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014 (PDF)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/84129/)
- [Garbage Disposal and Wildlife Attractants Bylaw No. 05, 2009 (PDF)](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9396/)
- [Garbage and Recycling](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/garbage-recycling)

## Related questions

- [Northern Rockies yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/yard-waste.md)
- [Northern Rockies bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Northern Rockies backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/backyard-fire.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Garbage collection in British Columbia: frequency, limits and fees by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/garbage-collection.md)
- [Stewart](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/stewart/garbage-collection.md)
- [Hudson's Hope](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hudsons-hope/garbage-collection.md)
- [Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hazelton/garbage-collection.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/garbage-collection.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/garbage-collection.md)
- [Mackenzie](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mackenzie/garbage-collection.md)

## Sources

- [Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 100, 2014 (PDF), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/84129/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Garbage Disposal and Wildlife Attractants Bylaw No. 05, 2009 (PDF, consolidated February 2020), Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://nr.civicweb.net/document/9396/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Garbage and Recycling, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/garbage-recycling) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Water and Sewer, Northern Rockies Regional Municipality](https://www.northernrockies.ca/resident-services/water-sewer) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Northern Rockies Regional Municipality. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/northern-rockies/garbage-collection/_