City of Ottawa “Yellow Bag” Garbage Pickup Policy in Full Effect

The City of Ottawa’s newly implemented “Solid Waste Master Plan” is designed to divert waste from the city’s main landfill, which is projected to reach capacity between 2034 and 2035. If successful, the Solid Waste Master Plan will reduce the amount of waste reaching the landfill by 31,000 tonnes and extend the landfill’s life by 14 years.

How will the Solid Waste Master Plan affect your curbside pickup? In short, Ottawa residents can put three items on the curb for free and unlimited city-mandated yellow bags on the curb at a price of $4.40 per bag. 

Since September 30th, the City of Ottawa has limited virtually all homes to only three items for curbside pickup. There are three options for what these items may be: a 140-litre garbage bin, a 33-pound garbage bag, or a large item (old furniture, for example). Any combination of these three items will be accepted for curbside pickup.

As of November 4, the City of Ottawa is implementing its “yellow bag” policy for households that exceed the three-item limit. City-mandated yellow bags, which are now available for purchase, can be set out on garbage day without a limit. Large or bulky items cannot be put into these yellow bags.

If Ottawa’s waste disposal workers find that a household’s curbside has exceeded the three-item limit without the use of city-mandated yellow bags, they will leave the item(s) behind with a courtesy tag explaining the new policy. This grace period is only temporary. In December, waste disposal workers will leave all excess garbage items that are not in yellow bags at the curb without a tag.

Paired together, the three-item limit and the yellow bag policy for excess waste will give the City of Ottawa more time to devise a plan for when Ottawa’s landfill reaches capacity. They will also make for a greener city. These practices will encourage Ottawa residents to reduce their volume of waste by recycling and composting—there is no limit for blue and green bin curbside pickup.

Some households will be eligible for exceptions from the Solid Waste Master Plan, including houses with higher volumes of waste because of healthcare necessities, diapers, or agricultural production. 

Only official city-mandated yellow bags are eligible for curbside pickup. You can pick up a pack of four ($17.60) city-mandated yellow bags from any of the following retailers or community centres:

• Beacon Hill Home Hardware, 1934 Montreal Road (located in Ogilvie Square
• Bridlewood Home Hardware, 90 Michael Cowpland Drive
• Capital Home Hardware, 736 Bank Street
• Elmvale Acres Home Hardware, 1910 St. Laurent Boulevard (located in Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre
• Leitrim Home Hardware, 4836 Bank Street
• Manotick Home Hardware, 1166 Beaverwood Road (located in the Mews of Manotick)
• Morris Home Hardware, 1226 Wellington Street
• Orléans Home Hardware, 470 Charlemagne Boulevard
• Stittsville Home Hardware, 6001 Hazeldean Road
• Trudel Home Hardware, 329 March Road
• Richmond BMR, 6379 Perth Street
• Albion-Heatherington Recreation Centre, 1560 Heatherington Road
• Alexander Community Centre, 960 Silver Street
• Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex – Orléans, 1490 Youville Drive
• CARDELREC Recreation Complex Goulbourn, 1500 Shea Road
• Carleton Heights Community Centre, 1665 Apeldoorn Avenue
• François Dupuis Recreation Centre, 2263 Portobello Boulevard
• Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre, 3320 Paul Anka Drive
• Jack Purcell Community Centre, 320 Jack Purcell Lane
• Minto Recreation Complex – Barrhaven, 3500 Cambrian Road
• Nepean Sportsplex, 1701 Woodroffe Avenue
• Overbrook Community Centre, 33 Quill Street
• St. Laurent Complex, 525 Coté Street
• Walter Baker Sports Centre, 100 Malvern Drive