City’s annual leaf collection program is changing

In the spirit of the fall season, our annual leaf collection program is starting and will welcome some new changes. As part of the updated collection program, leaves that do not fit in residents green bins will now be collected by City crews over four designated weekends.

Residents are asked to clear leaves from their sidewalks, boulevards, and property and add them to their Green Bin (food scraps and yard waste) until they are full. Green Bins will continue to be collected each week according to residents’ regular collection schedule.

Leaves that do not fit in green bins can be placed in biodegradable paper yard waste bags and will be collected city-wide on the following designated weekends:

            §  October 24-25, 2015
            §  November 14-15, 2015
            §  December 12-13, 2015
            §  January 16-17, 2016 (will include Christmas trees collection )

To prevent leaves from becoming wet or paper bags from breaking, extra leaves should be stored in a dry or covered area before being set out for collection.

The new weekend leaf collection schedule can be found online or by phoning 3-1-1. Disposing of leaves on boulevards or City property (including parks) is illeagal dumping, and can result in a fine of up to $2000. By properly disposing of leaves, you help keep Vancouver Spectacular!

Collected leaves are turned into nutrient-rich compost at the Vancouver Landfill. This compost can be purchased by residential gardeners, commercial landscapers, and municipal park boards. Leaves and other yard trimmings can also be dropped off for composting at the Vancover South Transfer Station located at 377 W. Kent Ave North and at the Vancouver Landfill located at 5400 72nd Street in Delta.

City crews will begin to clear streets of leaves in late November with added focus on streets with higher volumes of leaves. If temporary "no parking" signs are posted on a side of the street, residents are required to move vehicles to another parking spot before 7:00 a.m. on the date indicated. This enables crews to do a better job of clearing streets of leaves.

At times, crews may be delayed clearing streets of leaves in some neighbourhoods with large amounts of leaves. Crews will return to areas as soon as possible to complete the clearing of leaves.

Leaves can create issues for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Removal of leaves from catch basins also helps prevent flooding during the fall and winter months. Helpful guidelines on the City’s leaves collection service can be found at vancouver.ca/leaves.

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