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Landfill materials and rates

A minimum charge is applied to all loads unless otherwise specified. Landfill loads are charged by weight of material.

For loads under 250 kg, the minimum charge is $25 per load. The rate for garbage (basic sanitary rate) is $113 per tonne (1000 kg).

City landfills also offer free residential drop-off for some materials. See the list of items at the City landfill Throw n Go page.

Commercial rates for recycling and composting materials

Commercial customers are subject to the higher disposal surcharge rate for loads that include readily-recyclable and compostable materials.

Items on the disposal surcharge materials list should be separated and taken to appropriate processing facilities, where lower rates will apply.

Preferred methods of payment are credit card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express), debit card or cash.

No GST is charged on landfill rates.

Composition of waste loads is highly variable. The City landfill staff has final say about acceptability of any material and the charges applied to each load.

Rate Type 2021/2022

Basic Sanitary Waste (garbage)

$113/tonne

Minimum charge

  • For loads less than 250 kilograms.

$25/load

Refrigerant Removal from Equipment

  • This surcharge applies regardless if the refrigerant has been removed or not.
  • Charges for the weight of the item will also apply.
  • This applies to equipment that uses refrigerant (freon) such as refrigerators, air conditioners, freezers, water coolers etc.

$17/item + weight charges

Industrial Waste

  • Shepard landfill only.
  • Permits may be required.

Visit Industrial Waste for more information.

$170/tonne
Fill materials 2021/2022

Clean Fill

  • Charges will vary depending on site-specific clean fill requirements.
  • Clean fill includes soil, clay or gravel (less than six inches in size). See what is acceptable and not acceptable for clean fill requirements.
  • A soil analysis test may be required before disposal.
  • Commercial vehicles are required to obtain a clean fill approval number. Visit our clean fill instructions page or call 311.

$0-$5/tonne
Recyclable material 2021/2022

Drywall

  • Gypsum wallboard that has less than 2% by weight of garbage, wood, metal and other contaminants. Wet, painted or vinyl covered wallboards are acceptable, as well as exterior grade wallboards.

$90/tonne

Recyclable Wood

  • Untreated dimensional lumber, used pallets, and other wood items that are made of raw and un-processed wood.

$90/tonne

Scrap Metal

  • Construction, demolition and renovation related scrap metals up to 1.2 m (4 ft).

$113/tonne

Recycling of road asphalt, brick, masonry brick, concrete, asphalt shingles and paper/cardboard is not available at City landfills. Loads mixed with these materials will be charged the Disposal Surcharge Rate. For private options, see our Business Waste information.

Compostable materials 2021/2022

Yard waste

  • Leaves and cones, plants and flowers, branches, twigs, hedge prunings, grass clippings, weeds, hay
  • Christmas trees
  • Cold barbeque or fireplace ashes
  • All materials must be loose or in paper bags. No plastic bags.

Please note:
Composting for sod is not available at City landfills. This material will be charged the basic sanitary (garbage) rate.

$50/tonne

Composting of food, food scraps, packaged food and soiled paper is not available at City landfills.

Loads mixed with these materials will be charged the Disposal Surcharge Rate.
Surcharges (commercial loads only) 2021/2022

Hard-to-Handle Surcharge

  • Applied to handle low weight, large volume loads or loads requiring special handling
  • This is in addition to either the Basic Sanitary (garbage) or Industrial Waste rates

$275/load

Disposal Surcharge

Disposal surcharge materials are readily-recyclable and compostable materials that should be kept out of the landfill.

 

  • Disposal Surcharge materials:
    • Food waste and yard waste
    • Paper and cardboard
    • Concrete
    • Road asphalt
    • Brick and masonry block
    • Scrap metal
    • Recyclable wood
    • Drywall
    • Asphalt shingles (suspended)

Staff inspect commercial vehicle loads of garbage for these materials; if discovered, this higher rate will be applied if a load contains any of the following:

 

  • 20% or more of food or yard waste; OR
  • 10% or more of paper or cardboard; OR
  • 10% or more of construction and demolition materials

Avoid paying these higher rates by removing the recyclable and compostable materials from your loads before arriving at the landfill.

$180/tonne

The list of materials on the disposal surcharge rate is subject to periodic change.

Last updated: October 2022
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