Ville de Gatineau
Garbage (grey bin)
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Garbage (grey bin)
Garbage (grey bin)

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The collection

Household trash is collected every two weeks for residential and non-residential units that pay the residual materials management levy.

Place your grey bin and your tagged excess trash bags next to the curb or sidewalk after 7 p.m. the night before or before 7 a.m. on collection day. Emptied bins must be removed from the curb before 9 p.m. on collection day.

Only the contents of grey bins and tagged bags will be collected from curbside on household trash collection day. A maximum of five tagged bags will be collected each time. No other bags or container contents will be collected.

Robotized collection

From now on, your bins will be emptied by a truck with a robotic arm (certain exceptions apply).

To enable the robotic arm to properly empty your bins, make sure that:

  • you use only the designated bins (see below)
  • the wheels are facing your house
  • there is a 60 cm clearance on either side of each bin, and there are no obstacles in front of them
  • the lids are completely closed, with no overflow and nothing on the lid that could fall on the ground when the bin is lifted by the robotized arm
  • the anti-rodent latch is released
  • your bins are on your driveway or on your property, not on the street or on the sidewalk, to avoid blocking the movement of pedestrians and snow clearing equipment

Accepted collection methods

 

Ville de Gatineau gray wheeled bins

Ville de Gatineau labels for overflow garbage bags

These bags must be placed next to the street along with the gray bin, to be collected the day after the general collection day by another truck.

 

Refused collection methods

 

Trash cans

Wheeled bins without Ville de Gatineau logo

 

Report an uncollected container

Collections take place between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. If your trash is not collected, make a request. You can make your request between 6 p.m. on collection day and 6 p.m. the day after.

Receiving notifications of delays

If you would like to be notified of delays in your sector, sign up for DTRITUS notifications through the mobile app or the Web version. To find out how to sign up for notifications, click here.

Grey bins and tagged excess trash bags

Gatineau provides grey bins on wheels to all residential units with municipal curbside pickup.

Those bins are the property of Ville de Gatineau, and have an electronic chip connecting each one to the address to which it was delivered. If it is lost, damaged or stolen, call 311 or make a request.

You can get a latch for the grey bin (for the 120 litre size bins only) at any municipal service centre or library.

Surplus: admissible bags and labels

If your grey bin is not big enough for all your waste, you must buy labels from Ville de Gatineau and attach them to your overflow bags to have them collected*. With every household waste collection, in addition to the contents of your grey bin, up to five admissible bags will be collected per unit served.

Since January 2024, labels are sold individually instead of in packages of 5.

* White or black bags with the Gatineau label are still accepted. They do not require a label.

How does it work?

  • Place your overflow waste in any plastic bag:
    • measuring up to 26 inches x 36 inches (66 cm x 91.4 cm);
    • with a maximum capacity of 80 litres; and
    • Weighing no more than 15 kg when full;
  • Tie your bag closed with a knot or twist tie;
  • Attach the label so that it surrounds the top part of the bag and reattaches to itself;
  • Place your labelled bag next to your grey bin for collection, leaving 60 cm between bins, for the robotized collection. Do not leave any bags in front of the bins.
  • The driver of the robotized collection truck will notify the automated system of the presence of bags.
  • Further to the driver's notification, the bags will be collected the day after the scheduled collection day by another truck that will already be making the rounds to pick up any items overlooked the previous day.

Labelled bags must be placed on the ground next to the grey bins, not in the grey bins.

Buying tags

Where Price per Label
Service centre $2.15 (no tax)
Ecocentre $2.15 (no tax)
Online, delivered to your home $2.15 (no tax) + cost of delivery

** Fee set in appendix II to by-law 61-2006

Buildings with commercial units

Buildings with commercial units with municipal curbside pickup must also use the grey bins assigned to them, and the accepted bags or tags for any excess, to dispose of their trash.

Commercial, industrial and institutional establishments should click here for additional information about the municipal collection service.

Repair or replacement of bins provided by Gatineau

If your grey bin is damaged, broken or stolen, call 311 or make a request. In the case of a bin broken by the owner, tenant or occupant of a residential unit, the owner will be charged a fee for the repair or replacement.

Ordering bins and containers

If you do not have a grey bin for household trash and are entitled to municipal curbside collection, make a request. Multi-unit residential buildings with collection from their loading areas must get their containers from a private company. Owners and managers of commercial, industrial and institutional establishments should click here for additional information about the municipal trash collection service. They can also make a request for tips and guidance.

Storing bins

The zoning by-law provides that bins may be stored in the side yard or backyard at least one metre from the property line. If you live in a townhouse with no space at the side, you may store your bin in the front yard.

Maintaining bins

Owners, tenants or occupants of units entitled to the municipal trash collection service must enter their address in the space provided for that purpose on the bin on wheels provided by Gatineau. They must maintain the bin so as to keep it clean and watertight.

Characteristics of grey bins

120-litre grey bins are distributed to buildings with 1 to 3 units, and 240-litre and 360-litre bins are available to buildings with 4 or more units according to the ratio of 120 litres per unit.

Format 120 litres 240 litres 360 litres
Width 18 inches 24 ½ inches 25 ¼ inches
Height 37 ⅝ inches 43 ¼ inches 44 ½ inches
Depth 20 inches 27 ½ inches 25 inches
Maximum permitted weight 40 kg (88 lbs) 70 kg (154 lbs) 100 kg (220 lbs)

Materials that are accepted and not accepted with household trash

Accepted

Is your item still useful? Before placing it in the grey bin, see if there might be another option, such as selling or donating it.

  • Diapers
  • Pet excrement and litter
  • Toys
  • Plastics without a number
  • Hygienic products
  • Dishes (ceramic, melamine, porcelain or glass)
  • Clothes and textiles in poor condition

Not accepted

  • Bulky items and construction residues
  • Compostables and green residues
  • Recyclables
  • Tires
  • Electronics
  • Household hazardous waste

If you're not sure, consult DTRITUS to find out how to dispose of your materials.

Frequently asked questions

Accepted excess trash bags and tags

  • What do the accepted excess trash tags look like?
    The tags identifying accepted bags for excess trash are yellow or pink and have the Ville de Gatineau logo. Those tags must be placed on plastic bags no larger than 80 litres and weighing no more than 15 kg when filled with household trash.
  • Are white or black bags with the Ville de Gatineau logo still accepted, and do they need a tag?
    Yes, white and black bags with the Gatineau logo are still accepted. No, you do not need to use a tag with those bags.
  • Am I supposed to use the accepted bags in my grey bin?
    No. The tags and accepted bags with the Gatineau logo are for excess household trash, and are to be placed on the ground next to the grey bin. Residents can use any bag they wish.

Additional questions about grey bins and trash

  • I do not have a grey bin, or my grey bin has been stolen or is broken. What should I do?
    Make a request or call 311.
  • Do multi-unit residential buildings with curbside collection get one bin per unit or one bin per building?
    The owners of multi-unit residential buildings who are entitled to a bin on wheels can get one larger container for all occupants' household trash or opt for individual bins for the units. For example, a six-unit building can get six 120-litre bins or two 360-litre bins for curbside collection. The maximum remains 120 litres per unit. To change formats, the building owner must call 311 to make a request.
  • Can I get a latch for my grey bin?
    Gatineau offers residents free latches for 120-litre grey bins and for 80-litre and 120-litre brown bins. Residents can pick these up at any municipal service centre or library.

    That latch can be installed on larger format (240-litre and 360-litre) bins. However, a locking mechanism can be installed in problem cases in rural areas. For such a locking mechanism, call 311.

  • Why limit trash to 120 litres?
    In 2013, close to half of what was sent to landfill could have been composted, recycled or recovered. In line with the orientations of the Quebec Residual Materials Management Policy, Gatineau set itself the goal of reducing household trash by 45%. Limiting the volume of household trash to 120 litres per unit is one of the ways of achieving that goal.
    Between 2018 and 2020, Gatineau households with grey bins reduced their trash by 25%. Gatineau residents can be proud of the outcome of the changes implemented!
  • What can I do if neighbours leave their trash in front of my place?
    By-law 839-2018 concerning the management of residual materials prohibits anyone from leaving residual materials in a bin belonging to someone else or on someone else's property. A minimum fine of $300 (natural person) or $600 (legal person) applies in the case of a first infraction. However, proof is required (photo, video) to identify the violator and the infraction.

    Residents should call 311 or make a request to report an infraction.
Buy labels for excess garbage

DTRITUS

     

About Gatineau

Recognized for its quality of life, Gatineau is a city of 292,000 inhabitants. It is located on the north shore of the Ottawa River, and extends east and west of the Gatineau River.

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