New garbage and green bin pickup set to begin in Waterloo Region in March

CTV’s Colton Wiens answers questions about waste collection as Waterloo Region prepares to move to a new system next month.

A new waste collection system will begin in Waterloo Region next month, and some residents may find their pickup schedule has changed.

Starting in the first week of March, the garbage bins and green bins delivered over the recent months will be the only bins allowed to be used for garbage and organic waste collection.

“All the residential carts are now delivered. We’ve been delivering them since October of 2025, and we wrapped up in January. All of the deliveries were completed despite the winter weather that we experienced this year,” Olivia Kwok, Region of Waterloo’s director of waste management, said. “If there’s any issues or concerns with your carts before the start of March 3, please reach out to us and we’ll try to correct any issues or if there’s any questions you may have.”

Garbage collection will also shift from five days per week to four days. Due to the change, some households may have a different pickup schedule than they’re used to.

“[The change was made] to help with efficiencies, with routing, and also in regards to the contractors, it actually creates a better work environment for the workers to retain and attract them. So, we wanted to follow that standard,” Kwok said.

Information about the changes, and what it means for specific households, can be found through the region’s website or by using the Waste Whizz App. Pamphlets are also being mailed out across the region.

“Residents will be receiving their new 2026 waste collection calendar. It will be in the mail this week, so take a look. Inside, it has lots of information about your collection schedule, how to sort. So, make sure you take a look,” Kwok said.

The frequency of collection is also changing. Garbage will still be biweekly, green cart pickup will be every week, yard waste will be collected biweekly from spring until fall, recycling will be picked up biweekly on opposite weeks from garbage pickup. Bulky items will now be picked up on a monthly basis instead of biweekly.

“We encourage residents to check their waste collection schedule or their calendar for the exact date,” Kwok said.

As for where to put the rolling carts, Kwok said it should be placed similar to how it’s done now. Place them either at the end of your driveway or the edge of your boulevard, but not on the road. Any snow in the way should be cleared so the bin can sit flat. There also needs to be enough space between each cart to allow the trucks to pick up each one separately.

“When rolling out your carts, set them up at the edge of your driveway or on the boulevard, making sure there’s about two feet of space or 0.6m or an arm’s length in between the carts, and they’ll be ready for pickup,” Kwok said.

Residents are encouraged to keep their old bins for other uses around their property, or to dispose of them during bulky item pickup.