---
title: "Powell River garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits"
question: "When is garbage collected, and what are the rules for carts, limits, and extra bags?"
place: Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/powell-river
category: Garbage, recycling and waste
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Powell River
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/garbage-collection/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/garbage-collection.json"
---

# Powell River garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits

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

**Short answer:** The City of Powell River collects garbage and recycling every second week and organics weekly, on one of five routes (A to E). Put the cart out between 5:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on collection day. Extra bags need a $5 City garbage tag.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Powell River, https://powellriver.ca)  
**Cost:** 2026: $245.35 per residential unit ($205.19 garbage and organics plus $40.16 recycling); 2027: $253.18. Extra bag tag $5. Extra 120 litre garbage or organics cart $80 a year.  
**How long:** Garbage and recycling every second week; organics weekly. Check the calendar for your route.  
**Where:**
- Online: July to December 2026 collection calendar (PDF), https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/159383
- Online: Schedule, placement and route map, https://powellriver.ca/pages/curbsidegarbagecollection
- Phone: Operational Services, 604-485-8657 (Paper schedules mailed on request)
- Email: Operational Services, opssecretary@powellriver.ca

## Key facts

- **How often:** Organics (green cart) are collected weekly; garbage and recycling are collected every second week.
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, s. 2(b)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "weekly collection of Organics, and" … "bi-weekly collection of Garbage and Recyclables"
  - Source: [Garbage Collection](https://powellriver.ca/pages/garbage-collection)
  - Official wording: "Starting April 2, 2024, garbage collection moves from weekly to biweekly."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Finding your day:** Use the five-route schedule (Routes A to E) on the City website, the qathet Waste Wise app, or the monthly schedule in The Peak and qathet Living; paper copies can be mailed on request by calling 604 485-8657. A collection day advances following a statutory or City holiday.
  - Source: [Schedule, Placement and Route Map, Collection Schedule](https://powellriver.ca/pages/curbsidegarbagecollection)
  - Official wording: "Through the qathet Waste Wise app, available from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store." … "Paper copies of schedules can be mailed on request, call 604 485-8657."
  - Source: [2026 Organics, Recycling and Garbage Calendar (July to December), 2026 calendar](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/159383)
  - Official wording: "Please note that your collection day advances following a statutory or City holiday"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Carts:** Garbage: 120 litre cart. Organics: 120 litre cart. Recycling: 240 or 360 litre cart (size change is free). An extra 120 litre garbage or organics cart is $80 a year (garbage cart: Finance, (604) 485-8637); each levy change costs $25. Report a damaged, lost or stolen cart to Operational Services, 604-485-8657; the owner pays replacement ($80, $100 or $150 by size).
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, s. 3.3; Sch. A](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "automated Garbage Collection - 120 litre Cart;" … "automated Recycling collection - 240 litre or 360 litre Cart." … "An additional 120 litre cart can be provided for an additional annual charge of $80.00." … "The replacement fee is $100.00." … "The replacement fee is $150.00."
  - Source: [Garbage Collection, Garbage Collection; Contact Us](https://powellriver.ca/pages/garbage-collection)
  - Official wording: "contact the finance department at (604)485-8637." … "Operational Services Secretary opssecretary@powellriver.ca 604-485-8657"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Setting carts out:** Place the cart at the collection point no earlier than 5:00 a.m. and by 7:30 a.m. on collection day, and remove it to private property by 8:00 p.m. that day. Put it as close as possible to the street edge, 1 m from other objects, with 3 m clearance overhead, lid opening toward the street, not blocking vehicles or pedestrians.
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, ss. 5.2, 5.3](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "at the collection point by 7:30 am but not before 5:00 am;" … "removed from the collection point and stored on private property by 8:00 pm on the" … "one (1) metre apart from all other objects;" … "with three (3) metre clearance above Cart;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Limits and extra garbage:** Each cart may weigh no more than 35 kg (75 lb). Extra garbage bags may be set out beside the cart on garbage day with a $5 City garbage tag on each: maximum four bags, each no more than 12 kg (26.5 lb), up to 79 cm by 107 cm and securely fastened. Waste inside the cart needs no tag.
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, ss. 4.2, 5.3; Sch. A s. 11](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "no more than 35 kg (75 pounds) in weight;" … "a maximum of four (4) bags will be accepted;" … "no garbage bag shall exceed 12 kilograms (26.5 pounds)." … "displays a Garbage Tag indicating payment of an additional $5.00 collection fee per bag."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fee:** 2026: $245.35 per residential unit ($205.19 garbage and organics plus $40.16 recycling). 2027: $253.18. Billed on the property tax notice, due the first working day after July 1; a 10% penalty applies to any part unpaid by then.
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, Sch. A ss. 1-3](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "$245.35" … "Annual rates shall be subject to a ten percent (10%) penalty on any portion that is not paid" … "on or before the due date stipulated in Section 2 above."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw No. 2784, 2025
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, s. 1](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "Municipal Solid Waste Collection"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under the [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025](<https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325>), organics (green cart) are collected weekly, and garbage and recycling every second week. Basic service applies to single-family dwellings, secondary suites and duplex units; multi-family and commercial properties are decided case by case. Find your day on the five-route schedule (Routes A to E) on the City website, in the qathet Waste Wise app, or in the monthly schedule in The Peak and qathet Living. A collection day moves after a statutory or City holiday.

## Steps

1. Put the cart at the collection point no earlier than 5:00 a.m. and by 7:30 a.m. on collection day.
2. Place it as close as possible to the street edge, 1 m from other objects, with 3 m clearance overhead and the lid opening toward the street. Do not block vehicles or pedestrians.
3. Take it back to private property by 8:00 p.m. that day. The Wildlife Attractant Bylaw also requires carts to be stored on private property outside collection hours.

## Good to know

- Carts: garbage 120 litre, organics 120 litre, recycling 240 or 360 litre (a size change is free). An extra 120 litre garbage or organics cart is $80 a year; each levy change costs $25. Carts remain City property.
- Each cart may weigh no more than 35 kg (75 lb).
- Extra garbage bags may go beside the cart on garbage day with a $5 City garbage tag on each: maximum four bags, each no more than 12 kg (26.5 lb), up to 79 cm by 107 cm, securely fastened. Waste inside the cart needs no tag. Tags are sold at City Hall, the Powell River Recreation Complex, Save-on-Foods, FreshCo, Top of the Hill Solutions and Townsite Grocery.
- Fee: $245.35 per residential unit in 2026 ($205.19 garbage and organics plus $40.16 recycling), and $253.18 in 2027. It is billed on the property tax notice, due the first working day after July 1, with a 10% penalty on any part unpaid by then.
- Report a damaged, lost or stolen cart to Operational Services at 604-485-8657. The owner pays replacement ($80, $100 or $150 by size).
- A bylaw notice for a garbage cart set out too early or left out is $100 ($20 discount if paid within 14 days; $20 surcharge if paid after 28 days).

## What you'll need

- Your route letter (A to E) from the route map or the qathet Waste Wise app

## Official forms and pages

- [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025 (PDF)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Garbage collection in British Columbia: frequency, limits and fees by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/garbage-collection.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/garbage-collection.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/garbage-collection.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/garbage-collection.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/garbage-collection.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/garbage-collection.md)
- [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/garbage-collection.md)

## Sources

- [Garbage Collection, City of Powell River](https://powellriver.ca/pages/garbage-collection) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Schedule, Placement and Route Map, City of Powell River](https://powellriver.ca/pages/curbsidegarbagecollection) (read 2026-11-05)
- [2026 Organics, Recycling and Garbage Calendar (July to December) (PDF)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/159383) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025 (PDF)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2818, 2026 (PDF)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/159841) (read 2026-11-05)

_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 City of Powell River. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/garbage-collection/_