In short
- Minimum charge on Ottawa lists: $129 at one firm, from $175 at another.
- Full truck: $695 and $699 at two firms, $700–900 as a third firm's range.
- Item fees on one list: $10 a paint can, $15–20 a propane tank, $15 a tire, $30–50 for an appliance with refrigerant.
- Trail Road doubles its per-tonne household rate in 2026 when recyclables are mixed into the garbage.
- Compare quotes on the same base: tax in or out, the minimum, and which item fees apply.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum charge | $129–175 | Two Ottawa firms’ published minimums |
| 1/5 · 2/5 · 3/5 · 4/5 · full truck | $269 · $399 · $579 · $639 · $699 + tax | One Ottawa firm’s list |
| ¼ · ½ · ¾ · full truck | $265 · $425 · $605 · $695 | A second Ottawa firm’s list |
| Quarter · half · three-quarter · full | $150–250 · $300–450 · $500–650 · $700–900 | A third Ottawa firm’s ranges |
| Mattress or box spring | +$35 | First firm’s disposal fee |
| Tire | +$10–25 | $10 at the first firm; $15 without rim, $25 with rim at the third |
| Appliance with refrigerant (fridge, AC) | +$30–50 | Third firm; the first firm lists no surcharge for fridges or freezers |
| Paint can · propane tank · car battery | $10 · $15–20 · $10 | Third firm’s item fees |
| City landfill, residential garbage | $172.70/tonne | 2026; minimum $43.20 under 250 kg; landfill fees are HST-exempt |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026. Hauler lists: Junk That Funk, Ottawa junk removal pricing; Mighty Mouse Junk Removal, Ottawa (tax not stated); JunkPal, pricing (estimated ranges and item fee table). Landfill: City of Ottawa, Rates for the Trail Waste Facility Landfill (2026 prices); City of Ottawa, Trail Waste Facility Landfill (IC&I ban) (residential rate includes construction material from the home owner). The company that calls you sets its own price.
How Ottawa haulers bill
Ottawa haulers sell space in the truck. Each firm cuts the truck into fractions and posts a price for each, with a minimum for a single item or two. Each company confirms the fraction once it has seen the pile.
| Share of the truck | Firm A (+ tax) | Firm B | Firm C (range) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | $129 | from $175 | |
| 1/5 | $269 | ||
| 1/4 | $265 | $150–250 | |
| 2/5 | $399 | ||
| 1/2 | $425 | $300–450 | |
| 3/5 | $579 | ||
| 3/4 | $605 | $500–650 | |
| 4/5 | $639 | ||
| Full | $699 | $695 | $700–900 |
Firm A labels its fractions by job: a few items, a small room, a garage or basement, a large clean-out, a full truck. Firm C says a quarter holds 1 to 2 items and a half holds 3 to 5, such as a couch, a mattress and a dresser.
Fees on top of the load
A few items cost more to get rid of than the space they take.
- Mattresses and box springs: $35 each at Firm A.
- Tires: $10 at Firm A; $15 without a rim and $25 with one at Firm C.
- Appliances with refrigerant: $30–50 at Firm C. Firm A lists no surcharge for fridges or freezers.
- Paint: $10 a one-gallon can and $25 a five-gallon pail at Firm C.
- Propane tanks, car batteries, fluorescent tubes: $15–20, $10 and $5 each at Firm C.
Worked examples
Prices before tax, from the lists above. Firm B and Firm C use the fraction closest to Firm A’s label. The company that calls sets its own.
| Job | Firm A | Firm B | Firm C |
|---|---|---|---|
| One armchair | $129 minimum | from $175 | $150–250 |
| Small room: couch, mattress, dresser | $399 + $35 mattress = $434 | $425 (half) | $300–450 |
| Garage or basement clear-out | $579 | $605 (three-quarter) | $500–650 |
| Full house clear-out | $699 per truck | $695 per truck | $700–900 per truck |
A large clean-out can fill more than one truck. Ask for the price per load and the expected number of loads.
What disposal costs in Ottawa
Disposal is part of every load price. The City’s Trail Road landfill publishes its 2026 rates, and they show why some loads cost more:
- Residential garbage: $43.20 flat up to 250 kg, then $172.70 for each tonne.
- Garbage mixed with recyclable materials: $345.40 a tonne, twice the plain rate.
- Mixed brush and garbage, trees and stumps: $314 a tonne.
- Fill such as asphalt, masonry and concrete without rebar: $144 a tonne.
- Scrap metal and electronic waste, kept separate: free.
Landfill fees are exempt from HST. Business waste of every kind is banned from Trail Road for good, while a homeowner’s own construction material rides at the residential rate. A hauler’s disposal cost depends on the sites its business can use, which is one reason construction debris is often priced apart.
Bin or truck
For a renovation filled over a week, a roll-off bin is billed by size, days and tonnes. The bin rental or junk pickup guide and bin rental prices compare the two with Ottawa prices and the City permit for a bin on the road.
Where to read more
The same numbers are laid out by job elsewhere. Prices by truckload goes deeper on fractions, and prices by item covers a couch, a fridge and other single pieces. Items that carry fees or that haulers refuse are on items haulers cannot take, and Ottawa bulky item rules show what the curb handles for free.
Comparing quotes
Put each quote on one line: the fraction of the truck, the price, tax in or out, the minimum, and each item fee. Then the numbers compare. A quote that looks low may leave out the fees for mattresses or appliances; one that looks high may already include them.
Who you are dealing with
The numbers above belong to the firms that printed them. Your own price comes from the single independent hauler that receives your request: it calls, sizes the load against its own truck and does the job. Ottawa Junk Desk publishes no rate card.
Questions to ask the company
- Which fraction of your truck do you expect my load to fill, and what is that price?
- Which item fees apply to my list: mattresses, tires, paint, propane, appliances?
- Is the quote before or after HST?
- If the load turns out smaller or bigger on the day, how does the price change?
- Do heavy materials like concrete, tile or shingles change the price per load?
Have this ready for the call
- Photos of the full pile with something for scale: a door, a car, a person.
- A count of the items that carry fees: mattresses, tires, paint cans, propane tanks, appliances.
- Cardboard and recyclable packaging pulled out and set in your recycling bins.
- Heavy material kept apart from furniture, with a rough amount.
- Two or three quotes, written on the same base, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cheapest junk pickup in Ottawa?
The minimum charge. Two Ottawa firms publish $129 and from $175. It covers one or two items, such as a chair and a desk.
How much is a full truck of junk in Ottawa?
Two Ottawa firms list $695 and $699, the second plus tax. A third gives $700–900 as its range. Truck sizes vary, so ask how much a full load holds.
Why does a fridge cost extra?
The refrigerant has to be removed before disposal. One Ottawa firm charges $30–50 for an appliance with refrigerant; another lists no surcharge for fridges or freezers. Ask the company that calls which way it prices it.
Is the hauler's price per tonne or per load?
Per load, by volume, on the Ottawa lists we read. One firm notes heavy, dense materials may be priced differently. Bin rentals are the ones billed by the tonne.
Does sorting the load lower the price?
It can lower the volume. The City landfill charges twice as much per tonne for garbage mixed with recyclables as for plain garbage, and it refuses recyclable packaging. Cardboard and bottles pulled out of the pile go to your recycling bins at no cost.
