---
title: Qualicum Beach yard waste collection and drop-off
question: "Where does yard waste and brush go in Qualicum Beach?"
place: Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/qualicum-beach
category: Garbage, recycling and waste
owner: shared
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/yard-waste/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/yard-waste.json"
---

# Qualicum Beach yard waste collection and drop-off

**Question:** Where does yard waste and brush go in Qualicum Beach?

**Short answer:** In Qualicum Beach, leaves, grass and light trimmings go in the green organics cart, collected weekly by the Regional District of Nanaimo. The Town runs a branch chipping program each spring and fall. Garden waste can also go to the RDN Church Road Transfer Station in Parksville.

**Who handles it:** More than one level of government  
**Cost:** No charge is stated for the organics cart (part of the utility bill) or the Town chipping program. Garden waste at the RDN Church Road Transfer Station: $8 for up to 50 kg, then $160 per tonne (100 kg or more).  
**How long:** Organics cart: weekly. Chipping program: each spring (early March) and fall (early October).  
**Where:**
- Online: Wood chipping program, https://qualicumbeach.com/chipping-program
- In person: RDN Church Road Transfer Station (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, closed statutory holidays except Easter Monday), 860 Church Road, Parksville
- Phone: RDN Church Road Transfer Station (rates and information), 250-248-5254

## Key facts

- **Curbside collection:** Yes, in the green organics cart (RDN, collected weekly): leaves, grass and light trimmings (prunings, hedge clippings, flowers, weeds, stems and branches). Separately, the Town runs a seasonal branch chipping program each spring (early March) and fall (early October), with branches placed curbside in a pile.
  - Source: [Curbside Collection Program Overview, Regional District of Nanaimo, Accepted types of organic waste](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/waste-recycling/curbside-collection-program-overview)
  - Official wording: "Leaves, grass, and light trimmings are accepted." … "Light trimmings include prunings, hedge clippings, flowers, weeds and stems and branches."
  - Source: [Wood Chipping Program](https://qualicumbeach.com/chipping-program)
  - Official wording: "Each year the Town offers a seasonal chipping program in both Spring (early March) and Fall (early October)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to set it out:** In the organics cart: each piece no thicker than 1.5 cm and no longer than 60 cm. Chipping program: one pile per property, up to 8 ft x 8 ft x 5 ft high, branches under 4 inches thick, butt ends facing the same direction, out no earlier than 3 weeks before and before the first day of your collection (the chipper visits once). Larger lots may have more piles (2 piles for 0.5 to 1 acre).
  - Source: [Curbside Collection Program Overview, Regional District of Nanaimo, Accepted types](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/waste-recycling/curbside-collection-program-overview)
  - Official wording: "No larger than 1.5 cm (0.5 inches) in diameter; and," … "No longer than 60 cm (2 feet) in length."
  - Source: [Wood Chipping Program, Yes](https://qualicumbeach.com/chipping-program)
  - Official wording: "Maximum pile of 8ft x 8ft x 5ft high" … "Branches under 4 inches in diameter" … "The chipper will only visit your street ONCE" … "2 Piles: Properties greater than 0.5 acres"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Drop-off:** RDN Church Road Transfer Station, 860 Church Road, Parksville: open Monday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed statutory holidays except Easter Monday. Call 250.248.5254 for rates and information.
  - Source: [Wood Chipping Program, What If I Have Larger Volumes of Waste?](https://qualicumbeach.com/chipping-program)
  - Official wording: "Regional District of Nanaimo Transfer Station" … "860 Church Road, Parksville" … "Call 250.248.5254 for rates and further information."
  - Source: [Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, Regional District of Nanaimo, Hours](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/solid-waste-recycling/solid-waste-disposal-facilities)
  - Official wording: "Monday to Sunday" … "8 a.m. to 5 p.m." … "They are close for all provincial and federal Statutory Holidays, except Easter Monday."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cost:** No charge is stated for the organics cart (part of the utility bill) or the Town chipping program. Garden waste at the RDN Church Road Transfer Station: $8 for up to 50 kg, then $160 per tonne (100 kg or more).
  - Source: [Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, Regional District of Nanaimo, Tipping Fees](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/solid-waste-recycling/solid-waste-disposal-facilities)
  - Official wording: "Garden Waste (including invasive plant species) | $8 (up to 50kg) | $160/tonne (100+kg)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Not accepted:** Organics cart: anything over 1.5 cm thick or 60 cm long, soil, rocks and sod, sawdust or shop sweepings, lumber and construction waste, pet waste, and listed invasive plants such as giant hogweed and knotweed. Chipping: grass clippings, leaves and soft plant material, piles over the size limit, piles with gravel, dirt or dirt-covered roots, and branches over 4 inches thick.
  - Source: [Curbside Collection Program Overview, Regional District of Nanaimo, Not accepted as yard waste](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/waste-recycling/curbside-collection-program-overview)
  - Official wording: "Soil, rocks and sod." … "Lumber, construction or renovation waste" … "The following invasive plants are not accepted in the organics cart:"
  - Source: [Wood Chipping Program, No](https://qualicumbeach.com/chipping-program)
  - Official wording: "Grass clippings, leaves, soft plant materials (eg. flowers)" … "Branches in excess of 4 inches in diameter"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** RDN Residential Curbside Collection of Garbage, Food Waste and Recyclables Regulation and Charges Bylaw No. 1802, 2020 (organics cart). The chipping program runs under a Town policy (Wood Chipping Program 3012-11), not a bylaw.
  - Source: [Curbside Collection Program Overview, Regional District of Nanaimo, Starting or discontinuing](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/waste-recycling/curbside-collection-program-overview)
  - Official wording: "per RDN Bylaw 1802."
  - Source: [Wood Chipping Program, Related Links](https://qualicumbeach.com/chipping-program)
  - Official wording: "860 Church Road, Parksville Call 250.248.5254 for rates and further information. ### Related Links Wood Chipping Policy"
  - Source: [RDN Bylaw No. 1802 (consolidated to .01), Bylaw 1802 s.1](https://www.rdn.ca/sites/default/files/inline-files/1802%20%28consolidated%20to%20.01%29_0.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Residential Curbside Collection of Garbage, Food Waste and Recyclables Regulation and Charges Bylaw No. 1802, 2020"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

**Organics cart.** The RDN collects the green organics cart weekly. It takes leaves, grass and light trimmings (prunings, hedge clippings, flowers, weeds, stems and branches). Each piece must be no thicker than 1.5 cm and no longer than 60 cm. See [RDN Bylaw No. 1802](<https://www.rdn.ca/sites/default/files/inline-files/1802%20%28consolidated%20to%20.01%29_0.pdf>).

**Chipping program.** The Town runs a seasonal branch chipping program each spring (early March) and fall (early October). Place branches curbside in a pile.

**Drop-off.** RDN Church Road Transfer Station, 860 Church Road, Parksville, is open Monday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed on statutory holidays except Easter Monday. Call 250-248-5254 for rates and information.

## Chipping steps

1. Make one pile per property, up to 8 ft x 8 ft x 5 ft high. Larger lots may have more piles (2 piles for 0.5 to 1 acre).
2. Use branches under 4 inches thick, with the butt ends facing the same direction.
3. Put the pile out no earlier than 3 weeks before, and before the first day of, your collection. The chipper visits once.

## Not accepted

- Organics cart: anything over 1.5 cm thick or 60 cm long, soil, rocks and sod, sawdust or shop sweepings, lumber and construction waste, pet waste, and listed invasive plants such as giant hogweed and knotweed.
- Chipping: grass clippings, leaves and soft plant material, piles over the size limit, piles with gravel, dirt or dirt-covered roots, and branches over 4 inches thick.

## Good to know

- No charge is stated for the organics cart (part of the utility bill) or the chipping program.
- Garden waste at the transfer station is $8 for up to 50 kg, then $160 per tonne (100 kg or more). Confirm current rates with the RDN.
- Check the Town's chipping page for this year's dates.

## Official forms and pages

- [Wood Chipping Program, Town of Qualicum Beach](https://qualicumbeach.com/chipping-program)
- [Curbside Collection Program Overview, Regional District of Nanaimo](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/waste-recycling/curbside-collection-program-overview)
- [Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, Regional District of Nanaimo](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/solid-waste-recycling/solid-waste-disposal-facilities)

## Related questions

- [Qualicum Beach garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/garbage-collection.md)
- [Qualicum Beach backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/backyard-fire.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Yard waste collection in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/yard-waste.md)
- [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/yard-waste.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/yard-waste.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/yard-waste.md)
- [Nanaimo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/yard-waste.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/yard-waste.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/yard-waste.md)

## Sources

- [Wood Chipping Program, Town of Qualicum Beach](https://qualicumbeach.com/chipping-program) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Curbside Collection Program Overview, Regional District of Nanaimo](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/waste-recycling/curbside-collection-program-overview) (read 2026-11-06)
- [RDN Bylaw No. 1802 (consolidated to .01) (PDF)](https://www.rdn.ca/sites/default/files/inline-files/1802%20%28consolidated%20to%20.01%29_0.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, Regional District of Nanaimo](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/solid-waste-recycling/solid-waste-disposal-facilities) (read 2026-11-06)

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