In short
- The City collects leaf and yard waste weekly with no limit on amount, if it is in paper bags or a labelled container.
- Containers hold at most 140 litres and 15 kg; branch bundles stay under 120 cm by 60 cm, branches under 7 cm thick.
- Logs, stumps, earth, rocks and sod are refused at the curb.
- At the Trail Road landfill in 2026, brush and yard waste is $141.90 a tonne above 100 kg; trees and stumps $314 a tonne; soil $81.90.
- Hauler lists price by share of the truck: Junk Gods puts yard waste in its list of what it removes, with no separate price printed.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brush and yard waste at the landfill | $141.90 per tonne | City 2026, above 100 kg; $14.20 minimum; material under 20 cm across |
| Trees and stumps, brush over 20 cm | $314 per tonne | City 2026, above 250 kg; $78.50 minimum |
| Soil: topsoil, sand, sod | $81.90 per tonne | City 2026, above 250 kg; must be free of waste |
| Quarter truck, a typical hauler load | $265 to $365 | Three Ottawa firms’ lists; yard waste has no separate price |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026. City of Ottawa: How to set out leaf and yard waste; Pumpkins and Christmas trees; Rates for the Trail Waste Facility Landfill. Hauler lists: Junk Gods, pricing; Junk Ninja, pricing; Mighty Mouse, pricing guide. The company that calls you sets its own price.
What the City collects each week
Leaf and yard waste is collected weekly in Ottawa, and the City says there is no limit on the amount, as long as it is set out properly. That means paper yard waste bags or an approved reusable container labelled Leaf and Yard Waste. The container needs a handle and no lid, holds up to 140 litres and weighs no more than 15 kg (33 lbs) full. Tied bundles of branches stay under 120 cm by 60 cm, tied with twine or string; wire is refused.
Leaves, grass clippings, branches, twigs, hedge trimmings, plants and weeds are accepted. Place them at the curb after 6 pm the day before and by 7 am on collection day, apart from the green bin. For a few bags of leaves, that is the whole job and no hauler is needed.
What the curb refuses
The City’s refused list is the hauler’s market: earth, rocks and sod; logs and stumps; branches thicker than 7 cm or bundles over the size limit; and yard waste mixed with other waste. Pet waste and pumpkins belong in the green bin. A stump, a pile of topsoil from a garden bed or a log from a storm-felled tree all fall into the refused group. Those loads need a truck. Other renovation waste, such as fence boards or a deck, is covered on shed and deck removal.
What the load costs
Whatever the curb refuses is weighed at Trail Road, and those fees sit inside any hauler’s price. In 2026 the City charges brush and yard waste under 20 cm across at $141.90 a tonne above 100 kg, with a $14.20 minimum. Trees, brush over 20 cm and stumps are $314 a tonne above 250 kg, and soil $81.90. A small pile weighs under the threshold, so disposal adds little and the crew’s time makes up most of the quote.
A hauler prices by the space in the truck. On Ottawa lists a quarter truck runs $265 to $365 and a half truck $425 to $645. Mighty Mouse says heavy material such as soil, brick, tile or concrete shifts pricing from volume to weight, and Junk Gods names concrete, bricks and masonry among its specialty items. A mixed pile of brush and dirt is therefore a question for the company. See prices by truckload.
Fall, winter and spring in Ottawa
Leaves in the fall fit the weekly collection. A fallen limb after a storm is the call that needs a truck. Snow over a pile hides what is in it, so photograph the pile before the first snowfall if you want a firm number. In January, the City’s Christmas tree rule applies: decorations off, no plastic bag, out with the green bin by 7 am. Spring is the season of dead growth, soil from beds and sod from new lawns.
What a clear quote says
The quote names the share of the truck, whether soil and sod are in the load, whether the crew cuts or bundles, and the tax. It also says where the load goes.
Related pages
Large clear-outs often include more than the yard. See garage cleanout, basement cleanout and renovation debris removal. Items the hauler cannot take, such as old fuel for the mower, are listed on hazardous waste in Ottawa.
Who comes to the door
The yard request lands with one independent hauler, and the people who load the truck work for that firm. It reads the two photos, asks about soil and stumps, and books the day. Ottawa Junk Desk does no hauling and sets no rate.
Questions to ask the company
- Do you price my pile by the share of the truck or by weight?
- Is dirt, sod or stone in the load charged differently from brush?
- Will you take cut logs and a stump, and what size is the limit?
- Do you cut or bundle branches, or must they be ready at the curb?
- Where does the load go: the City landfill, a compost site or elsewhere?
Have this ready for the call
- Photos of the pile from two sides with a ladder or a wheelbarrow for scale
- A count of any logs thicker than a thigh, stumps, and stones or soil in the mix
- A clear path from the pile to the driveway, with gates unlocked
- Pets and sprinkler heads out of the way
- Any wire, fencing or plastic mixed into the pile, set aside and mentioned
Questions people ask
What is the City's size limit for branches?
Individual branches must be under 7 cm (3 inches) across. Tied bundles stay under 120 cm (4 feet) long and 60 cm (2 feet) wide, tied with twine or string, never wire, duct tape or plastic twine. Anything thicker or longer is refused at the curb and needs another route.
Can I put leaves in plastic bags for the City?
The City requires paper yard waste bags or a reusable container labelled Leaf and Yard Waste, with a handle, no lid, no ropes or bungee cords, up to 140 litres and 15 kg full. Set it out between 6 pm the day before and 7 am on collection day, and keep it separate from the green bin.
Where do old Christmas trees go?
Decorations off, no plastic bag, out with the green bin by 7 am on collection day. The City says trees frozen into snowbanks stay uncollected. Trees go to the City’s organics facility or the Trail Road landfill, where they are composted or mulched.
What does the landfill charge for sod and soil?
Trail Road charges $81.90 a tonne above 250 kg for clean topsoil, sand and sod in 2026, with a $20.50 minimum, and anything over 5 tonnes needs pre-approval through 3-1-1. Soil is dense, so a hauler that weighs heavy material will price it from those numbers upward.
Is it legal to leave brush at the edge of a park or boulevard?
It is prohibited. The City’s Parks and Facilities By-law No. 2004-276 bars leaf and yard waste on streets, sidewalks, boulevards and park land, and a fine may follow. The legal routes are the curb set-out within the limits or a hauler’s truck.
What counts as a tree for the landfill rate?
The City sets brush and yard waste under 20 cm across at $141.90 a tonne, and brush and trees over 20 cm across plus stumps at $314 a tonne. A trunk section or stump therefore costs more per tonne than a pile of twigs.
