Stratford Garbage Collection: Check Today’s Route, Tags, Recycling Cart and Holiday Changes
To find the Stratford garbage collection schedule for today or tomorrow, start with the City’s address-based schedule or Recycle Coach—not an old calendar screenshot. This guide then explains 2026 set-out times, downtown collection, garbage tags, recycling carts, green bins, yard waste dates, Canada Day and Christmas checks, missed pickups, large items, landfill services and the correct phone number for each problem.
Quick Answer: How to Find Your Stratford Garbage Collection Schedule
Stratford does not have one citywide pickup day. Your exact garbage, green bin and recycling dates depend on your address or whether your property is inside the downtown white-map collection area.
Use the current City schedule
Open the City of Stratford garbage collection page and use its schedule or Recycle Coach option. Enter your street address rather than relying on a search-result date.
Confirm what is collected
Garbage and green bin service follow the City route. Residential recycling is collected every other week under Ontario’s producer-run recycling system.
Place material out before the deadline
Regular garbage and green bins should be ready by 8 a.m.; recycling carts by 7 a.m. Downtown white-map properties use a 6 a.m. set-out time.
A page cannot know your route without your address. The most reliable answer combines the live address lookup, the correct waste stream and any current holiday or service alert.
Stratford Garbage Collection Schedule Today or Tomorrow: Check in 60 Seconds
This helper identifies the date and applies the published downtown schedule. For regular residential routes, it sends you to the address lookup because guessing a weekday would be misleading.
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Stratford Garbage Collection Schedule 2026 PDF, Map and 2025 Calendar Warning
A static PDF can help explain zones and holiday notices, but it cannot reliably answer “Is my garbage collected today?” without your address. The City’s live schedule and Recycle Coach should be your first check.
Live address schedule
Use this for the exact date, stream and current notice. It is more reliable than a downloaded file saved months earlier.
Current map or electronic copy
The City advises residents to use its online schedule and can provide current schedule or map information. Request a current copy rather than downloading an unverified third-party PDF.
2025 schedule files
A Stratford garbage collection schedule from 2025 is historical. Recycling carts, accepted materials, collection administration, fees and holiday dates changed for 2026.
Ontario’s expanded producer responsibility recycling system began in Stratford on January 1, 2026. Residential recycling is administered by Circular Materials and collected by Emterra, while Stratford continues to manage garbage, green bin, yard waste and other municipal waste services.
The City’s December 27, 2025 Town Crier PDF is useful for understanding the January 2026 transition and year-end holiday changes, but it is not a full address-specific 2026 collection calendar.
Downtown Stratford Garbage, Recycling and Green Bin Schedule
Properties within the downtown white-map collection area follow an earlier and more frequent schedule than standard residential routes. Material must be set out by 6 a.m.
Downtown garbage
Place properly tagged downtown garbage out by 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Downtown recycling
Place eligible downtown recycling out by 6 a.m. Wednesday, following current Circular Materials instructions.
Garbage and green bin
Friday service includes downtown garbage and green bin collection, with material ready by 6 a.m.
Do not use the downtown schedule solely because the address is near the city centre. Verify the official map or ask the City before changing your set-out day.
Stratford Garbage Tags: 2026 Prices, Limits and Correct Placement
Stratford uses a pay-as-you-waste system. Regular garbage must have the correct number of City garbage tags, remain within size and weight limits, and be prepared so collection staff can see the tag.
Wrap the tag so both ends stick together
- Wrap it around the bag neck or container handle.
- Stick the tag to itself so it remains visible.
- Use half a tag lengthwise only for a qualifying small bag.
- Keep the container lid completely closed.
Do not hide or misuse the tag
- Do not place the tag flat on the bag.
- Do not use the tag as a twist tie.
- Do not exceed 22 kg for a standard unit.
- Do not use blue transparent bags for garbage.
Where can I buy Stratford garbage tags?
Officially listed locations include City Hall at 1 Wellington Street and participating retailers across Stratford:
- 7-Eleven — 327 Erie Street
- Blowes Stationery — 34 Wellington Street
- Canadian Tire Gas Bar — 1101 Ontario Street
- Daisy Mart — 555 Downie Street
- East End Variety — 231 Douro Street
- Esso — 501 Ontario Street
- Giant Tiger — 477 Huron Street
- Hallmark/Blowes — 1067 Ontario Street, Festival Marketplace
- Joe’s Variety — 760 Ontario Street
- Mobil — 180 Erie Street
- Mornington Variety — 231 Mornington Street
- North End Pharmacy — 240 Graff Avenue
- Shell — 405 Huron Street
- Sobeys — 581 Huron Street
- Stratford Mini Mart/GoCo — 666 Ontario Street
- Stratford Variety — 542 Downie Street
- The Corner Convenience — 332 Erie Street
- Zehrs — 865 Ontario Street
Retail participation can change. Confirm availability before making a special trip.
Stratford Recycling Collection Schedule and Cart Rules for 2026
Residential recycling remains every other week, but responsibility changed on January 1, 2026. Circular Materials administers the program and Emterra handles collection and cart support.
Biweekly collection by 7 a.m.
Place the recycling cart out by 7 a.m. on the date shown for your address. Do not assume it is collected with every weekly garbage pickup.
360-litre wheeled cart
Residential households received a 360-litre cart. A 246-litre exchange option may be available after trying the larger cart for at least three biweekly pickups.
Ask Emterra about another cart
If the household regularly produces more eligible recycling than fits, contact Emterra about current second-cart options rather than leaving loose material beside the cart.
How to place the recycling cart
- Keep all recycling inside the cart.
- Close the lid.
- Place wheels toward the house and away from the curb.
- Position the opening toward the street.
- Do not block the cart with vehicles.
- Keep about 3 feet of clearance from fences and other obstacles.
- Do not place it on a snowbank or icy slope.
- Do not leave material loose beside the cart.
Additional items accepted under the 2026 system
Ontario’s harmonized list expanded Stratford recycling to include items such as beverage cups, cartons and Tetra Paks, Styrofoam packaging, aerosol containers, black plastic containers, frozen juice containers, ice cream tubs, and some deodorant or toothpaste tubes. Empty containers before recycling and follow current sorting instructions.
Do not place eligible alcohol beverage containers in the recycling cart. Use the applicable retailer or producer return location.
An old blue box is not itself recyclable through the cart. Reuse it for storage or take a damaged box to the Stratford landfill for the current disposal option.
Stratford Green Bin Collection: Set-Out Time and Sorting Rules
Green bins are collected weekly with the municipal route. Place the bin out by 8 a.m. for regular residential collection, or by 6 a.m. Friday in the downtown white-map area.
Food and compostable household material
- Fruit and vegetable scraps
- Meat, fish, bones and dairy
- Bread, grains and leftovers
- Cooking oil and grease in manageable quantities
- Food-soiled paper, napkins and tissues
- Paper cups and paper plates
- Coffee grounds, filters and tea bags
- Birdseed, pet bedding, hair and nail clippings
- Houseplants and cut flowers without plastic pots
Common contamination items
- Hot beverage cups with non-compostable lining
- Ashes, cigarette butts and smoking material
- Wipes, diapers and sanitary products
- Coffee pods and plastic packaging
- Cotton swabs, makeup pads and similar products
- Cutlery of any material unless explicitly accepted
- Dryer sheets, mop sheets and dryer lint
- Leaf and yard waste
- Pet waste and cat litter
- Medical waste
Keep the bin under 23 kg
A full green bin should not exceed approximately 23 kg or 50 lb. Drain liquids and avoid overfilling.
Use newspaper or certified compostable liners
Do not line the green bin with an ordinary plastic shopping or garbage bag.
Bins and kitchen catchers
The City lists 45-litre green bins and kitchen catchers through City Hall or the landfill. Verify current stock and prices before visiting.
Stratford Leaf and Yard Waste Collection Dates for 2026
Yard waste is collected during designated weeks on your normal collection day. Set it out by 8 a.m. The crew may make separate passes for paper bags or containers and for tied brush bundles.
- Use kraft paper yard-waste bags.
- Or use a reusable container marked with a City yard-waste label.
- Container capacity must not exceed 128 litres.
- Keep each unit at or below 22 kg.
- Containers need handles on both sides.
- Tie branches securely.
- Keep bundles no longer than 4 feet.
- Branches must be less than 4 inches in diameter.
- Observe the 20-unit curbside limit.
- Take additional eligible material to the landfill compost area.
Use the green bin for accepted food scraps. The City’s current yard-waste page does not include grass clippings in curbside leaf and yard waste collection.
Stratford residents may collect up to one cubic metre of finished compost from the landfill while supplies last. Bring a container and equipment to load it yourself.
Stratford Garbage Collection on Canada Day, Christmas and Other Holidays
Do not decide that collection is delayed merely because City Hall or the landfill is closed. Curbside service and facility hours can follow different holiday rules.
Check the address-based schedule
The audited City waste pages did not provide a standalone 2026 Canada Day delay table. Open Recycle Coach or the City schedule for your address and follow the displayed collection date and alert.
Do not use last Christmas’s dates
The exact Christmas 2026 curbside changes were not yet published in the audited sources. Check the City’s December notice and Recycle Coach before setting material out.
Check facility closure separately
The landfill closes on statutory holidays and certain additional observances. A landfill closure does not by itself prove that curbside collection moved.
Historical New Year 2026 example—not a rule for Christmas 2026
Check the live schedule after 4 p.m. the day before collection and again before set-out. Save a screenshot only as a personal reference; the live alert remains the final check.
Missed Garbage, Green Bin, Recycling or Yard Waste in Stratford
The correct contact depends on which material was missed. Residential recycling is handled separately from City-managed garbage, green bin and yard waste.
Check for a preparation problem
- Was the date correct for the address?
- Was the material out before 8 a.m., 7 a.m. or 6 a.m. as applicable?
- Did garbage have the correct number of tags?
- Was the bag, container or bundle within the weight and size limit?
- Was a cart blocked by a vehicle, snowbank or other obstacle?
- Was there a rejection sticker or visible contamination?
Do not remove the material too soon
If the set-out was correct, leave the material accessible while reporting the issue. Take a clear photo showing the cart, tag or bags and the curb location.
“My address is [address]. My [garbage/green bin/recycling/yard waste] was scheduled for [date]. It was out by [time], prepared according to the rules, and there was no rejection sticker. Can you check the route and tell me whether I should leave it at the curb?”
Large Items, Furniture and White Goods Pickup
$14 tag per eligible item
Eligible large household items require a $14 large-item tag and should be placed out on the regular garbage day. Buy the correct tag before set-out and confirm that the item qualifies.
Large-item tags are listed through City Hall or the City Hall Annex at 82 Erie Street, third floor, during regular office hours.
Monthly appliance collection
White goods are generally collected on the third Monday of the month, or the following Tuesday when Monday is a holiday.
- $45 sticker for an appliance containing or potentially containing refrigerant.
- $25 sticker for an appliance without refrigerant.
- Confirm the booking and preparation instructions before set-out.
- White goods are not accepted as ordinary landfill garbage.
A large pile containing furniture, renovation debris, appliances and loose bags may require several different disposal routes. Identify each item before buying tags or placing it at the curb.
Stratford Landfill, Hazardous Waste and Textile Disposal
The Stratford landfill is at 777 Romeo Street South. Stop at the scale house before unloading and make sure the material was generated within the City of Stratford.
Regular operating hours
- Monday to Friday: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Saturday: 8 a.m.–noon
- Sunday: closed
- Closed on statutory holidays and listed special observances
No cash accepted
Use debit, credit or an approved account. Check current charges before loading your vehicle.
Large vehicles after 4 p.m.
Packers, cube vans, dump trucks, roll-off vehicles and large stake trucks are not accepted after 4 p.m. on weekdays.
Selected 2026 landfill charges
Call 519-271-0250 extension 5259 before transporting asbestos. The City requires advance documentation and lists a separate 2026 rate of $185 per tonne.
Household hazardous waste events in 2026
The City lists Saturday, May 30, 2026 and Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the landfill. Keep products sealed in original containers where possible, never mix chemicals, and transport them securely in the vehicle trunk.
- Paint, varnish, solvents, caulking and glue
- Fuel, antifreeze and brake fluid
- Used motor oil and filters
- Household batteries
- Cleaning chemicals
- Fluorescent tubes and CFL bulbs
- Propane cylinders
- Commercial hazardous waste
- Infectious or biomedical waste
- Radioactive material
- PCB-containing material
- Mixed or unidentified leaking chemicals
Textiles and reusable household material
Worn, torn or stained clothing, footwear, bedding, towels, curtains and similar textiles can be diverted from garbage. Textile bins are available at the landfill, and Diabetes Canada lists home pickup service at 1-800-505-5525.
Stratford Garbage Collection Phone Numbers: Who Should You Call?
Calling the City about a recycling-cart repair may delay the answer because 2026 residential recycling is administered separately. Use Emterra for missed recycling, replacement carts, accommodation requests and cart questions.
Common Stratford Collection Mistakes and the Fastest Fix
Official Stratford Waste Links and When to Use Each One
Source review completed July 22, 2026. Fees, event dates, contractor details and collection instructions can change; verify the live official page before payment or set-out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check the Stratford garbage collection schedule today?
Open the City of Stratford garbage collection page or Recycle Coach, enter your address, confirm the waste stream shown for today and check the set-out time. A general search result cannot identify your street route.
How do I check the Stratford garbage collection schedule tomorrow?
Use the same address-based City schedule and select tomorrow’s date. Confirm whether it lists garbage, green bin, recycling or yard waste and whether a holiday or service alert changes the date.
What time must Stratford garbage be at the curb?
Regular residential garbage and green bins should be ready by 8 a.m. Residential recycling carts should be out by 7 a.m. Properties in the downtown white-map area use a 6 a.m. set-out time.
Is there a Stratford garbage collection schedule 2026 PDF?
The live City schedule or Recycle Coach is the best source for an address-specific date. City PDFs and electronic notices can explain zones or holiday changes, but a static PDF may become outdated and may not identify your exact route.
Can I use a Stratford garbage collection schedule from 2025?
No. A 2025 calendar is historical and may contain old holiday dates, tag prices or recycling instructions. Use the current 2026 City schedule for your address.
Is Stratford garbage collection delayed on Canada Day?
Check the live City schedule or Recycle Coach for your address. A City Hall or landfill closure does not automatically mean curbside collection is delayed, and the audited City pages did not provide a separate universal Canada Day 2026 delay table.
What is the Stratford garbage collection schedule at Christmas?
Christmas and New Year changes are published in a City notice and the live schedule. Do not reuse the previous year’s dates; check Recycle Coach and the City page closer to the holiday.
What is the Stratford garbage collection phone number?
Call the City of Stratford at 519-271-0250 for municipal garbage, green bin, yard waste and general schedule help. For residential recycling collection or cart problems, call Emterra at 1-888-597-1541.
How much is a Stratford garbage tag in 2026?
A standard Stratford garbage tag costs $3.90 in 2026. A qualifying small grocery or kitchen bag may use half a tag cut lengthwise, while larger containers require two or three tags according to capacity.
What is the downtown Stratford garbage schedule?
Within the confirmed downtown white-map area, garbage is collected Tuesday by 6 a.m., recycling Wednesday by 6 a.m., and garbage plus green bin material Friday by 6 a.m.
Who handles missed recycling collection in Stratford?
Emterra handles residential recycling collection support. Call 1-888-597-1541 or email customercareont@emterra.ca for a missed pickup, replacement cart, accommodation request or recycling-cart question.
Your Next Stratford Collection Step
Open the live address schedule, confirm today’s or tomorrow’s waste stream, check the required set-out time, and prepare the material using the current tag, cart or bag rules. For a missed pickup, contact the City for garbage, green bin or yard waste and Emterra for residential recycling.