Multi-family waste requirements

Multi-family buildings are required to provide waste bins for recycling, compost and garbage. All three options must be made available for residents to use.

The City works on an education-first approach to bylaw enforcement. Failure to provide separate bins for recycling, compost, and garbage will result in an investigation. If action is not taken to resolve the issue, a Bylaw enforcement officer may issue a violation ticket resulting in a fine.

Your recycling program must accept:

• Boxboard (like cracker boxes) and corrugated cardboard
• Paper such as newspaper, catalogues, magazines, mixed paper, telephone books, shredded paper
• Glass jars and bottles
• Food cans and foil
• Refundable beverage containers
• Plastic containers with recycling symbols 1-7 (except for polystyrene foam)
• Plastic bags (bundled into one tied bag)
• Juice and soup boxes such as TetraPaks

Your food and yard waste program must accept:

• Plate scrapings
• Meat, fish, shellfish and bones
• Fruits and vegetables
• Breads, noodles, rice, beans and grains
• Eggshells and dairy products
• Jams, sauces, salad dressings and cooking oils
• Pastries, cookies, cakes and muffins
• Nuts, seeds, chips, popcorn, candy
• Food-soiled paper like paper plates, paper towels and napkins
• Coffee filters and tea bags

Your yard waste may be handled by a landscaping company. Ask your service provider how they dispose of yard waste to ensure it is composted and diverted from the landfill.

• Leaves
• Plants and weeds
• Branches and prunings
• Grass clipping and sod
• Pet waste – to be compliant with the bylaw, your multi-family complex does not need to include pet waste in your food and yard waste diversion program. 

Most waste haulers will not accept hazardous materials in any waste bin (garbage, recycling or composting). For disposal options, check with your hauler or use the Know Before You Throw  online search tool for property managers.

• No automobile parts or motor oil
• No dead animals
• No household appliances
• No large volumes of liquid
• No propane tanks
• No chemicals including paint, herbicides, pesticides

Maintaining a tidy property is necessary to make a safe and clean building for your tenants to want to live in.

Please refer to the full details around untidy properties regulations in the 32M2023 Community Standards Bylaw, Part 4.

• Loose garbage, yard waste, bottles, cans, boxes, household furniture, packaging materials, parts of machinery, equipment, appliances and automobile parts must be stored so that they are not visible from outside of the property.
• Accumulation of offensive material is prohibited. This includes animal remains, animal feces and materials that create unpleasant odours or are likely to attract pests. 
• Building materials are not allowed to accumulate unless the owner can establish that construction or renovation is taking place or imminent. The materials must be stacked in an orderly manner and the amount of material must be reasonable for the planned project.