In short
- Garbage pickup is biweekly with a three-item cap; leaves and yard waste go weekly in paper bags.
- Household garbage at Trail Road in 2026: $43.20 for a light load, $172.70 per tonne past 250 kg.
- Scrap metal and electronics are free at Trail Road when source-separated and free of garbage.
- A hauler prices the space on the truck: $265 to $695 from quarter to full on one Ottawa list.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Quarter load | $265 | One Ottawa firm’s list |
| Half load | $425 | Same firm |
| Three-quarter load | $605 | Same firm |
| Full load | $695 | Same firm; other lists run $699 to $985 |
| Residential garbage at Trail Road | $172.70 a tonne | City of Ottawa 2026 rate, $43.20 minimum under 250 kg |
| Trees and stumps at Trail Road | $314 a tonne | City of Ottawa 2026 rate |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026: Mighty Mouse Junk Removal (quarter to full); Junk That Funk, pricing (full $699); Junk Gods, Ottawa pricing (full $985). City: Trail Waste Facility rates; Curbside garbage collection; Notice to residents, new curbside contract, March 30, 2026; Barrhaven Bugle, Trail Road depot June 28, 2026; Bin There Dump That, Ottawa bin rates (9-yard $440); By-law 2024-453; 613 Bins, what the City takes (not collected at the curb). The company that calls sets its own price.
What the winter leaves behind
By April, the garage holds a snow blower with a cracked chute, a pile of cardboard, a broken lawn chair and cans nobody opened. The basement holds the boxes that moved there in November. The yard shows what the snow covered: branches, fence boards, a dead shrub.
A spring cleanout is one decision: which of these the City handles on its schedule, which go to a drop-off, and which go in one haul. Sort first, then book.
The City first
Garbage comes every second week and stops at three items a house, where a 140-litre bag and a lawn chair each count once. Past three, ordinary waste needs a yellow City bag, and furniture will never fit one. Recycling and the green bin are weekly and unlimited.
Spring 2026 had a rule change. A new curbside contract began on March 30, and about half of households could see a new collection day. For that transition the City allowed up to six garbage items on the scheduled day, between March 30 and April 24, 2026. The allowance ended, and the usual three apply again. Check the Ottawa bulky item rules before a pile goes to the curb.
Leaf and yard waste is weekly. It goes out apart from the green bin, in brown paper bags or a labelled reusable container. See yard waste removal for the loads the curb does not cover, such as stumps.
What the curb does not take
The City does not collect renovation debris, appliances, electronics, tires or hazardous waste at the curb. The by-law lists appliances and construction waste as non-collectable. That covers a lot of a spring pile: a cracked toilet from the winter leak, leftover drywall, an old fridge from the garage. Those jobs have their own routes: renovation debris, fridges and freezers and items haulers cannot take.
Where the load goes and what it costs
A hauler takes the load to a disposal site, and the City’s own is the Trail Waste Facility, 4475 Trail Road. Past the first 250 kg, household garbage there costs $172.70 a tonne in 2026. Mixed garbage and recyclables cost $345.40 a tonne. Trees and stumps cost $314 a tonne. Scrap metal, e-waste and up to 10 tires are free, and the City’s fees are HST-exempt. A hauler’s truck price or weight line carries that cost, so ask which one your quote uses.
A hauler prices the truck space the pile takes. On one Ottawa list: quarter $265, half $425, three-quarter $605, full $695. Other lists run from $699 to $985 for a full truck, so two quotes only compare when they describe the same pile. See prices by truckload.
Spring in Ottawa
Spring is wet. Soil and brick are dense, and haulers may price dense material by weight. Keep cardboard inside until the crew arrives. The ground thaws in stages, and driveways can be soft, so say if the truck has to cross lawn. The City’s hazardous waste drop-off days run in warmer months; 2026 had one at Trail Road on June 28. Dates change each year, so look at ottawa.ca.
Garage, basement or whole property
A single room is a garage cleanout or a basement cleanout. A property with an attic, a shed and a yard is a full load. A bin suits a multi-day sort; the bin or pickup page compares the two, with a 9-yard bin from $440 on one Ottawa list and a City permit if the bin sits on the road.
Read the quote for
The price should name the area covered, the share of the truck, the items it excludes, the extra charge for stairs or weight, and whether HST is added. Ask what happens to anything the crew cannot take.
Who comes to the door
Spring requests are forwarded to one independent hauler, and from the first call onward the job is between you and that company: its price for the whole pile, its calendar, its crew in your driveway. Ottawa Junk Desk sets no number and drives no truck.
Questions to ask the company
- Is the price for the pile as photographed, and what changes it on the day?
- Can you do the garage, the basement and the yard in one visit?
- How do you charge for wet or heavy material such as soil, brick or wet wood?
- Which items in my pile will you refuse on the day?
- Can you come early in the week, before the next garbage day?
Have this ready for the call
- Photos of each area: garage, basement, shed, yard, from the doorway
- A pile moved to the garage door or driveway edge, if you can do it safely
- The items that need a technician or special drop-off set aside: paint, propane, fridges
- The collection calendar date for your street, so you know what the City covers first
- Driveway width and any gate code or parking limit
Questions people ask
When does the City take yard waste in spring?
Leaf and yard waste is collected weekly. Since the new curbside contract began on March 30, 2026, it has to be set out apart from the green bin, in brown paper bags or a reusable container labelled “Leaf and Yard Waste”. Bags go to the curb from the evening before until 7 am.
Winter left old paint and propane in the shed. Who takes it?
Haulers refuse paint, solvents and propane tanks. The City runs household hazardous waste drop-off days, and 2026 had one at the Trail Waste Facility, 4475 Trail Road, on Sunday, June 28, 8 am to 4 pm. Check ottawa.ca for the next dates.
Why do two quotes for the same spring pile differ so much?
Haulers size the truck differently. Full-truck prices run from $695 on one Ottawa list to $985 plus tax on another, and one list is built on a 15-yard load while another prints 32 cubic yards. Ask each company what it calls a full load and whether tax and item fees are in the number.
What if the garbage calendar changed on my street this spring?
The City says collection days may change for about half of Ottawa households under the contract that started on March 30, 2026. Check ottawa.ca/CollectionCalendar. A haul does not depend on your garbage day, so a new calendar leaves your booking as it was.
How early should I book a spring cleanout?
Send the request when you know the pile and the date. Give a first choice and a fallback day; the calendar is the hauler’s, and it answers on the call. Weekends and the days around a long weekend are popular, so ask early.
