Courtenay Garbage Collection: Today’s Pickup, 2026 Schedule, Cart Rules and Disposal Help
To check garbage collection in Courtenay today or tomorrow, enter your exact address in Courtenay Collects. Garbage and recycling alternate every second week, organics is collected weekly, and weekday statutory holidays move the remaining routes one day later. Below you can also solve missed pickup, cart-placement, contamination, disposal, fee, private-service and hazardous-waste questions without searching several different websites.
Quick Answer: How Courtenay Garbage Collection Works
Eligible City curbside properties receive standardized automated carts. The green-lid organics cart is collected every week. The black-lid garbage cart and blue-lid recycling cart are collected on alternating weeks. Your exact date depends on the serviced address and Zone A, B, C or D.
Garbage
Collected every second week. Use the assigned City cart, keep the lid closed and put personal-hygiene waste in tied bags.
Recycling
Collected every second week, alternating with garbage. Accepted packaging and paper must be loose—not inside plastic bags.
Organics
Collected every week. Food scraps and accepted yard waste share the cart. Compostable and biodegradable plastic bags are not accepted.
Two Courtenay homes can be in different zones. The official address lookup—not a citywide weekly guess—provides the correct garbage collection schedule for a specific property.
Garbage Collection Courtenay Today and Tomorrow
The date below uses Pacific Time, but it does not guess your collection stream. Enter the exact service address to confirm whether the black, blue and green carts belong at the curb.
📅 Which Week Am I On? — Garbage or Recycling?
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City not in our database yet
We don't have a reference date for this city. To find your biweekly schedule, use one of these options:
Once you have the date of your last garbage week, enter it in the date field above and click Check.
Next pickup date
Based on your collection day
🔑 Bookmark this page to check your schedule every 2 weeks
Enter the address and look for the next cart icons. Do not copy a neighbour unless the neighbour is definitely on the same route.
If tomorrow is the scheduled day, set carts out between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.—not the previous night.
Check your pickup in four steps
Open Courtenay Collects and search the serviced property address.
Confirm organics plus garbage, organics plus recycling, or no pickup.
Look for statutory-holiday changes, weather notices or route alerts.
Set out only the listed carts, properly spaced, between 5 and 8 a.m.
Stop checking manually
After entering the address, use the official reminder option to choose app, email, telephone or calendar notifications. More than one reminder method can be selected.
Use PDF, email or telephone
Residents can use the corrected zone PDF, subscribe to email or phone reminders, or call Operational Services for help finding the route.
Garbage Collection Schedule Courtenay, BC: Zones A, B, C and D
The official map helps identify the likely route area. Because a boundary can run close to a street, use the exact address lookup as the final schedule authority.
Download the corrected 2026 guide for your zone
The original printed guides incorrectly excluded several accepted organics. Tea bags, coffee grounds and filters, food-soiled paper towels, and food-soiled cardboard containers are accepted in the green cart. Use the corrected online PDFs above.
Garbage Collection Example: Understanding Alternating Weeks
This example explains the pattern only. The starting week and weekday depend on the address and zone.
Organics + garbage
The weekly green cart and biweekly black cart are collected.
Organics + recycling
The weekly green cart and alternate-week blue cart are collected.
Add one day
If Monday is a statutory holiday, Monday’s route moves to Tuesday and later routes also move one day.
Courtenay changed collection-zone boundaries in July 2025. A calendar or reminder saved before the route change may no longer match the property.
Statutory Holidays, Weather Delays and Service Alerts
Remaining routes move one day
When a statutory holiday falls Monday through Friday, collection scheduled for that day and the remaining weekdays normally shifts one day later.
Keep the mechanical arm route clear
Clear a flat cart area. Do not place carts on or behind a snowbank. A cleared driveway within 3.5 metres of the roadway may be used when appropriate.
Collection can be cancelled
Emergency, environmental or unsafe road conditions can change service. Keep the cart secure and check the official address calendar or alert system.
Do not assume every holiday creates a delay. Open the live address calendar, because the tool displays the collection date that applies to the property.
Courtenay Garbage Pickup Rules: Correct Automated-Cart Placement
The collection truck uses a mechanical arm. A cart can be on the correct date and still be missed when it is blocked, too close to another object, facing the wrong direction or outside the permitted set-out window.
5–8 a.m.
Set carts out no earlier than 5 a.m. and before 8 a.m. Do not place them outside the night before.
At least 1 metre
Leave 1 metre between carts and from vehicles, poles, fences, trees, mailboxes and recreation equipment.
At least 3 metres
Keep carts clear of low branches, wires, awnings and structures above the collection point.
Within 3.5 metres
When using a driveway or property-side point, keep the cart within reach of the roadway.
Before 8 a.m.
- Point the cart arrows toward the roadway.
- Keep the wheels and handle facing the property.
- Close the lid fully.
- Unlock any gravity lock or latch by 8 a.m.
- Keep all waste inside the correct City cart.
- Do not pack material so tightly that it cannot fall out.
By 10 p.m.
- Do not leave carts at the collection point overnight.
- Do not block a sidewalk or bike lane.
- Do not place bags beside or on top of a cart.
- Do not hide carts behind parked vehicles.
- Do not position a cart on or behind a snowbank.
Placement by street layout
Regular curb street
At the street with wheels near the curb and arrows toward the road
Use the driveway within 3.5 metres of the roadway
Bike lane beside curb
Behind the sidewalk or at the approved property-side point
Placing carts inside the bike lane
Separate parking strip
In the parking lane where the automated arm can reach
Use the driveway within the truck’s reach
Limited turning area
Close to the lane on a flat, reachable surface
Move vehicles, basketball hoops and hockey nets away
What Goes in Courtenay Garbage, Recycling and Organics?
Garbage examples
- Diapers and personal-hygiene products.
- Pet waste and cat litter.
- Plastic squeeze tubes.
- Other accepted non-recyclable household waste.
- Bag personal-hygiene and pet waste securely.
Keep out: construction debris, yard waste, batteries, propane cylinders, paint, sharps, medication and vehicle parts.
Loose curbside recycling
- Paper, magazines, boxboard and paper bags.
- Flattened cardboard no larger than 90 × 90 cm.
- Cartons, bottles, jars, jugs and trays.
- Metal cans, foil containers and empty aerosol cans.
- Shredded paper contained in a paper bag or box.
Preparation: empty, rinse and place accepted items loose. Do not use plastic recycling bags.
Food scraps and yard organics
- Fruit, vegetables, meat, bones and eggshells.
- Tea bags, coffee grounds and filters.
- Food-soiled paper towels and cardboard containers.
- Leaves, grass, flowers and plants.
- Branches up to 3 inches that fit with the lid closed.
Keep out: compostable plastic, pet feces, rocks, stumps and large quantities of soil or sod.
Items that need a depot or special route
🍾 Glass packaging
Use a participating Recycle BC depot rather than the blue cart.
📦 Foam packaging
Foam packaging is depot material and not accepted curbside.
🛍️ Flexible plastics
Plastic bags, overwrap and flexible packaging require a depot route.
🔋 Hazardous products
Batteries, paint, fuel cylinders and chemicals need take-back or hazardous-waste service.
Green-cart odour and wildlife control
- Use newspaper or an unlined paper bag.
- Strain excess liquid from food scraps.
- Wrap wet material in paper.
- Freeze especially odorous scraps until collection morning.
- Keep the lid closed and store the cart in shade where possible.
- Compostable plastic liners.
- Biodegradable plastic bags.
- Loose pet waste.
- Liquids that can leak during lifting.
- A bungee or lock left secured at collection time.
Missed or Rejected Garbage Pickup in Courtenay
Leave the cart at the collection point while you check the schedule, stream, placement and contamination causes. Then contact Operational Services promptly.
Confirm the exact address and cart icons in Courtenay Collects.
Route timing can change. Hearing a truck nearby does not mean it has not served the street.
A vehicle, pole, cart, fence, hoop, branch or snowbank may have blocked the arm.
Extra bags and protruding material are not part of automated collection.
Check for a notice and remove the incorrect material before the next eligible collection.
Wildlife-resistant cart locks and latches must be released by 8 a.m.
Make the report actionable
- Complete service address.
- Garbage, recycling or organics stream.
- Date and approximate set-out time.
- Whether neighbouring homes were collected.
- Any tag, notice, obstruction or lock issue.
- A placement photo when useful.
Operational Services
Call 250-338-1525, email operations@courtenay.ca, or use the official service-request form for eligible City curbside service.
Apartment, strata, commercial and private-hauler problems should go to the property manager or collection provider.
Garbage Collection Customer Service in Courtenay
Use the contact that owns the problem. Municipal pickup, contractor operations, property-tax charges and regional disposal are handled through different offices.
operations@courtenay.ca
1000 Piercy Avenue
info@emterra.ca
finance@courtenay.ca
1-800-331-6007
3699 Bevan Road
The City’s online form is monitored during regular hours. The City lists 250-338-1525 for urgent after-hours municipal issues, but an ordinary missed-cart request is generally handled during business hours.
Does the Courtenay City Schedule Apply to Your Property?
Municipal curbside service
Courtenay Collects and City-issued carts
Contact Operational Services
Property configuration matters
Confirm assigned cart sizes and address eligibility
Check the property-tax notice or Financial Services
Multi-residential property
Private collection arranged by the owner, strata or manager
Contact the property manager or private hauler
Business or facility
Adequately sized private garbage and recycling service
Owner, operator, landlord or contracted hauler
Outside municipal curbside boundaries
Private garbage pickup or self-haul
Confirm jurisdiction from the actual property address
For apartment bins, commercial service, construction clean-outs, furniture removal or a rural property, request written private-hauler details covering labour, bin rental, weight allowance, prohibited items, disposal fees and final pickup date.
Courtenay Cart Sizes, Extra Capacity and 2026 Fees
City carts belong to the City, carry a unique serial number and RFID tag, remain assigned to the property and must be left behind when a resident moves.
Standard service examples
Standard service set
120 L garbage, 360 L recycling, 360 L organics
$359.50
Includes categories identified in the fee bylaw
120 L garbage, 240 L recycling, 120 L organics
$326.00
Cart dimensions and maximum bylaw weights
| Cart size | Approximate dimensions | Maximum bylaw weight | Resident use note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 L | 95 H × 47 W × 61 D cm | 55 kg / 122 lb | Standard garbage size for most eligible homes. |
| 240 L | 110 H × 68 W × 68 D cm | 102 kg / 227 lb | Used for recycling or additional service in applicable categories. |
| 360 L | 110 H × 74 W × 85 D cm | 146 kg / 322 lb | Standard recycling and organics size for many single homes and duplexes. |
Heavy soil, rubble, concrete, wet construction material and other prohibited waste do not become acceptable merely because the cart remains under the maximum weight.
Common 2026 cart and service fees
| Request | 2026 amount | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
| Cart-size exchange | $65 | Administrative fee; availability and exchange windows may apply. |
| Assisted set-out | $100 annually | Approval, access review and eligibility requirements apply. |
| Extra 120 L garbage cart | $140.20 annually | Request through the City; the fee is added to the service account. |
| Extra 240 L garbage cart | $280.40 annually | Verify property eligibility before ordering. |
| Extra recycling cart | $32.65 annually | Listed fee applies to the approved additional recycling cart. |
| Extra organics cart | $153.15–$186.65 annually | Amount depends on cart size. |
| Home-healthcare garbage cart | $56 for 120 L; $112 for 240 L | Approval and programme conditions apply. |
| Replacement standard cart | $81.60–$117.60 | Amount depends on size and replacement circumstances. |
| Replacement wildlife-resistant cart | $217.60 | Verify eligibility and cart type with Operational Services. |
Assisted set-out
Residents unable to move carts may apply. The City may request supporting information, confirm that no household helper is available and inspect the collection point before approval.
Home-healthcare cart
Residents producing extra non-hazardous household garbage because of an approved healthcare need can ask Operational Services about the reduced-fee additional-cart programme.
The City cart page previously indicated another exchange opportunity was planned for fall 2026. Treat that as planned—not guaranteed—and check the live City page before relying on it.
Garbage Disposal Courtenay: Curbside, Self-Haul or Private Removal?
Normal household material
Use assigned carts for accepted organics, garbage and recycling at an eligible serviced property.
Comox Valley Waste Management Centre
Use the Bevan Road facility for accepted garbage, bulky waste and sorted material that cannot use curbside carts.
Large or non-municipal jobs
Use a private hauler for apartment or commercial bins, renovation loads, labour-intensive clean-outs, furniture or rural pickup.
Comox Valley Waste Management Centre details
3699 Bevan Road, Cumberland, BC
Daily, 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Closed statutory holidays; check alerts before leaving
250-334-6016 or 1-800-331-6007
The regional fee page notes a $10 minimum for loads up to 100 kg
Search the item, sort the load and secure it
The regional facility schedule lists noon openings on September 23, 2026 and November 4, 2026. Verify the alert before travelling because operational dates can change.
Avoid extra charges and refused loads
- Confirm that each material is accepted.
- Separate recyclables and free-drop-off materials.
- Check the current rate table and effective date.
- Cover and secure the load.
- Keep children and pets safely inside the vehicle.
- Bring required testing or approval documents.
- Loads containing more than 10% recyclable material can receive a 150% surcharge.
- An improperly covered load can receive a $20 charge.
- Controlled waste may require 24–48 hours’ notice.
- Pre-1990 gypsum can require asbestos testing and approval.
- Asbestos is not handled through ordinary Courtenay curbside service.
This page covers municipal solid waste. A jammed, leaking or failed in-sink garburator requires a plumber or appliance technician—not Courtenay collection customer service.
Household Hazardous Waste Near Courtenay
Paint, fuel, chemicals, batteries, pesticides, propane, mercury products and other hazardous materials must not go in City curbside carts.
3699 Bevan Road
Use the household hazardous-waste service at the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre in Cumberland.
Thursday and Friday
9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., with a lunch closure from 12:30–1 p.m. Verify before driving.
2026 dates
August 8, September 12, October 10, November 7 and December 5, 2026. Confirm the live schedule before loading the vehicle.
Prepare household hazardous waste correctly
- Residential quantities only.
- Original labelled container where possible.
- Sealed, upright and non-leaking.
- Containers smaller than 25 litres.
- Separate incompatible chemicals.
- Expect the facility to keep the container.
- Ammunition: contact the RCMP.
- Medication: use a participating pharmacy.
- Needles and sharps: use an approved pharmacy or healthcare route.
- Commercial quantities: hire an appropriate commercial provider.
- Non-propane compressed gas: check the retailer or producer programme.
Do not crush, puncture or hide rechargeable batteries in household garbage. Isolate damaged batteries from flammable material and obtain a verified take-back or hazardous-waste route.
Extra Yard Waste and Seasonal Drop-Off
Normal accepted food and yard organics belong in the weekly green cart. Courtenay has also operated temporary seasonal drop-off events for excess yard waste.
Weekly accepted yard waste
Use the cart for leaves, grass, flowers, plants and branches up to 3 inches that fit inside with the lid closed.
The 2026 event has ended
The spring drop-off ran April 7 through May 2, 2026. Do not drive to the seasonal site expecting it to remain open.
Wait for a City announcement
Check the City organics page for any later seasonal event, location, hours and accepted-material changes.
During the spring event, food scraps and food-soiled paper were not accepted at the temporary site because those materials belong in the weekly curbside organics cart.
Garbage Collection Code in Courtenay: Bylaw, RFID and Enforcement
Residents searching for a garbage collection code usually mean the municipal rules or cart identifier. Courtenay’s main collection rules are contained in Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023.
Resident rules
The bylaw covers eligible properties, set-out windows, cart placement, weight, accepted material, contamination, extra carts, fees and illegal disposal.
Cart identification
City carts carry an RFID tag and unique serial number connected to the assigned property. Trucks can record collection and contamination information.
Search by address
Residents normally enter the street address in Courtenay Collects. They do not need to type the cart’s RFID or serial number to see the schedule.
Bylaw rules with practical consequences
Eligible serviced properties cannot simply opt out
The annual charge can apply whether the resident regularly uses every cart or not
Contact Financial Services about classification or billing—not the collection truck driver
The City or contractor can inspect or audit cart contents
Repeated contamination can be documented
Correct the material after a notice rather than repeating the same mistake
Contamination or unsafe set-out continues
Warnings, non-collection, tickets, fees or service consequences may apply
Use Waste Wizard or ask Operational Services before the next pickup
Carts remain assigned to the address
The carts do not move with the owner or tenant
Leave all assigned carts at the property when moving
Programming garbage collection manages unused computer memory. That search intent is separate from Courtenay, BC municipal garbage pickup and is intentionally not expanded here.
Illegal Dumping in Courtenay and the Comox Valley
Furniture, bags, renovation debris and appliances must not be left beside roads, trails, collection carts or closed facility gates.
Record a useful location
Provide the road, nearest landmark, map pin, material type, approximate quantity, date noticed and photos that do not put you at risk.
Protect your safety
Do not approach a person actively dumping material. Note vehicle information only when it can be done safely and lawfully.
Ask where a hauler takes the load
The owner of dumped waste may face consequences even when another person transported it. Keep invoices and use a reputable service.
The regional programme reports that a large share of dumped material contains recyclable or no-charge items. Sort first, secure the load and verify facility hours before leaving home.
Official Courtenay Waste Links: Which One Should You Open?
Open the source that matches the task. The collection calendar answers dates; the regional waste centre answers self-haul questions.
Courtenay Garbage Collection FAQ
What is garbage collection in Courtenay today?
The answer depends on the serviced property address and Zone A, B, C or D. Enter the exact address in Courtenay Collects to see whether today is organics plus garbage, organics plus recycling, or not a collection day.
How do I check garbage collection in Courtenay tomorrow?
Enter the address in Courtenay Collects and view the next scheduled collection. Check for a statutory-holiday or weather delay, then set out only the listed carts between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.
How often is garbage collected in Courtenay, BC?
Garbage is collected every second week. Recycling is collected on the alternating week, while organics is collected every week.
What time should Courtenay carts be set out?
Place carts at the approved collection point no earlier than 5 a.m. and before 8 a.m. Remove emptied carts from the collection point by 10 p.m.
How do statutory holidays change Courtenay garbage pickup?
When a statutory holiday falls on a weekday, collection for that day and the remaining routes that week normally moves one day later. Confirm the address calendar before setting out carts.
Who do I contact for a missed Courtenay collection?
For eligible City curbside service, contact Operational Services at 250-338-1525 or operations@courtenay.ca. Apartment, commercial and private-hauler issues should go to the property manager or collection provider.
Can I put extra garbage bags beside the cart?
No. Automated collection accepts material inside the assigned standardized City cart with the lid closed. Request additional capacity or use an approved disposal route.
Are compostable plastic bags accepted in Courtenay organics?
No. Compostable and biodegradable plastic bags are not accepted. Use newspaper, an unlined paper bag or food-soiled cardboard.
Where can I dispose of garbage near Courtenay?
Accepted self-haul material can be taken to the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre at 3699 Bevan Road in Cumberland. Check live hours, accepted materials, rates and special requirements before driving.
Does the City collect garbage from apartments and businesses?
No. Apartment and condominium buildings, commercial businesses, industrial properties and institutional facilities must use collection arranged by the owner, strata, manager or private waste provider.
What is the Courtenay garbage collection customer-service number?
For municipal curbside schedules, missed collection, damaged carts and general service questions, call Operational Services at 250-338-1525. Emterra Environmental can be reached at 250-336-8066.
What is the Courtenay garbage collection code?
Municipal collection rules are primarily contained in Solid Waste Management Bylaw No. 3113, 2023. City carts also carry an RFID tag and serial number linked to the property, but residents search the schedule using the street address.
Do Courtenay carts move with the resident?
No. The carts are City property and remain assigned to the serviced address. Leave all assigned carts at the property when moving.
Is assisted cart set-out available in Courtenay?
Yes. Residents unable to move their carts may apply for assisted set-out. Approval, supporting information, site access and an annual fee may apply.
What to Do Next
Checking today or tomorrow: enter the exact address in Courtenay Collects, confirm the cart icons and look for a holiday or weather change.
Preparing pickup: set carts out between 5 and 8 a.m., point arrows toward the road, close the lids, unlock latches and provide 1 metre of side clearance plus 3 metres overhead.
Reporting a miss: leave the correctly prepared cart in place and contact Operational Services at 250-338-1525 or operations@courtenay.ca.
Taking material yourself: identify the material, check Bevan Road hours and fees, separate recyclables and secure the load before travelling.
Editorially reviewed and refreshed: July 24, 2026. Collection dates, alerts, fees, facility hours, accepted materials and special-programme dates can change. Verify time-sensitive decisions through the linked official source.