Parksville yard waste collection and drop-off

Where does yard waste and brush go?

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

Short answer

In Parksville, leaves, grass and light trimmings go in the Regional District of Nanaimo's green organics cart, collected weekly. The City also runs a wood chipping program for branches up to 15 cm thick. Other yard waste goes to the Church Road Transfer Station, 860 Church Road.

Key facts

Curbside collection	Yes, in the green organics cart, collected every week: leaves, grass and light trimmings (prunings, hedge clippings, flowers, weeds, stems and branches) within the size limits. The City also runs a wood chipping program once a year for larger branches.Sources differ: Conflict: the Bylaw 1802 copy (consolidated to 1802.01) defines Food Waste as excluding Yard and Garden Waste and treats it in carts as contamination, but the current RDN program page accepts leaves, grass and light trimmings. The program page is newer.Curbside Collection Program Overview, Regional District of Nanaimo, Curbside Expanded Organics Program; Wood Chipping Program · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Leaves, grass, and light trimmings are accepted. Light trimmings include prunings, hedge clippings, flowers, weeds and stems and branches. Organics carts are collected every week. The City 2026 wood chipping program is now complete
How to set it out	In the organics cart: nothing thicker than 1.5 cm (0.5 in) and nothing longer than 60 cm (2 ft). Wood chipping program: branches up to 15 cm (6 in) thick stacked with the large ends toward the road; piles no bigger than 5 ft x 5 ft x 3 ft, one pile per property, set on the boulevard before the crew arrives.Curbside Collection Program Overview, Regional District of Nanaimo, Accepted types of organic waste; Wood Chipping Program · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording No larger than 1.5 cm (0.5 inches) in diameter; and, No longer than 60 cm (2 feet) in length. Branches with a maximum diameter of 6 inches (15 cm) Piles must be limited to a size of 5 feet wide x 5 feet long x 3 feet high.
Drop-off	Church Road Transfer Station, 860 Church Road, Parksville (run by the RDN): open every day 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on statutory holidays except Easter Monday.Wood Chipping Program; Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, Regional District of Nanaimo, Hours · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording safety issues, materials such as pampas grass, yucca, clematis and wisteria vines cannot by chipped and should be taken to the Church Road Transfer Station, 860 Church Road, Parksville. Piles containing these items will not be removed by the chipping crew. Compostable vegetation, garden debris, leaves, and grass clippings may be placed in your green bin for pickup. Monday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are close for all provincial and federal Statutory Holidays, except Easter Monday.
Cost	Curbside: no charge beyond the garbage-based utility fee for the standard 100 L organics cart; a 240 L cart is $50 a year more. Drop-off: yard waste costs $8 flat up to 100 kg, then $60 per tonne.Sources differ: Conflict: the RDN Solid Waste Disposal Facilities page (extra file) lists Garden Waste at "$160/tonne (100+kg)", while the April 2026 tipping fee page and Bylaw 1784 say $60 a tonne. The tipping fee page and bylaw are used. The wood chipping page states no fee.Curbside Collection Online Portal, Regional District of Nanaimo, Organics Carts; Hours and Tipping Fees, Regional District of Nanaimo, Tipping Fees effective April 1, 2026; Tipping Fee and Solid Waste Disposal Regulation Bylaw No. 1784, 2019, Schedule, item 2(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording \| 100L (default option) \| No additional fee \| 240L \| $50/year Yard Waste including Invasive Plant Species $8 flat rate $60/tonne b. Garden Waste “including Invasive Plant Species” $8.00/0-100kg $60.00/tonne
Not accepted	Organics cart: anything over 1.5 cm thick or 60 cm long, soil, rocks, sod, sawdust, lumber or construction waste, pet waste, and invasive plants such as giant hogweed, knotweed, garlic mustard and gorse. Wood chipping: rocks, stumps, construction waste, pampas grass, yucca, clematis and wisteria.Curbside Collection Program Overview, Regional District of Nanaimo, Not accepted as yard waste; Wood Chipping Program · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Soil, rocks and sod. Sawdust or garage/shop sweepings Lumber, construction or renovation waste Pet waste, including cat litter Giant Hogweed Rocks, stumps and construction waste may cause injury to the chipper operators
Bylaw	Residential Curbside Collection of Garbage, Food Waste and Recyclables Regulation and Charges Bylaw No. 1802, 2020 (Regional District of Nanaimo); Tipping Fee and Solid Waste Disposal Regulation Bylaw No. 1784, 2019Residential Curbside Collection Bylaw 1802, Regional District of Nanaimo, s. 1; Tipping Fee and Solid Waste Disposal Regulation Bylaw No. 1784, 2019, Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording and Recyclables Regulation and Charges Bylaw No. 1802, 2020”. TIPPING FEE AND SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL REGULATION BYLAW NO. 1784, 2019

How it works

The RDN's green organics cart takes leaves, grass and light trimmings (prunings, hedge clippings, flowers, weeds, stems and branches) within the size limits, collected every week. The City runs a wood chipping program once a year for larger branches. The Bylaw 1802 copy on the RDN site says yard waste is not allowed in organics carts, but the RDN's current program page accepts it, so follow the program page.

Steps

In the organics cart: nothing thicker than 1.5 cm (0.5 in) and nothing longer than 60 cm (2 ft).
For the chipping program: branches up to 15 cm (6 in) thick, stacked with the large ends toward the road, piles no bigger than 5 ft x 5 ft x 3 ft, one pile per property, on the boulevard before the crew arrives. Check the City's wood chipping page for this year's dates.
For anything else, take it to the Church Road Transfer Station, 860 Church Road, open every day 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed statutory holidays except Easter Monday).

Good to know

Not accepted in the organics cart: anything over 1.5 cm thick or 60 cm long, soil, rocks, sod, sawdust, lumber or construction waste, pet waste, and invasive plants such as giant hogweed, knotweed, garlic mustard and gorse.
Not accepted in chipping: rocks, stumps, construction waste, pampas grass, yucca, clematis and wisteria.
Drop-off fees are in the Tipping Fee Bylaw 1784: garden waste is $8 flat up to 100 kg, then $60 per tonne. The RDN's facilities page lists $160 a tonne, so confirm with the RDN.
The wood chipping page states no fee. Operations: 250-248-5412.