Yard & Garden Waste | City of Victoria

Drop-Off Program

Victoria residents can drop off branches and other garden waste for free, year-round at the Public Works Yard on Saturdays from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. (except the following dates: Feb 15, Apr 19, Oct 11, Dec 20, Dec 27)

The yard and garden waste drop-off is located at the City's Public Works Yard (417 Garbally Rd).

City staff will be present at the garden waste drop-off to direct traffic, but residents will need to unload their own garden waste. Staff will direct residents where garden waste can be unloaded while maintaining a safe physical distance.

Accepted Items

Drop-Off Tips

Reducing Wait Times

Reduce the wait time caused by seasonally higher drop-off volume by consolidating your loads.
Try to come every other weekend, if possible. Please note, there is a single truckload limit.
Plan to arrive before 1:30 p.m.
Please access Garbally Road from the Jutland Road intersection for a safer line-up.

Public Works Yard Webcam

Check the Public Works Yard webcam to view the current vehicle line-up (only available between 7 a.m and 2 p.m. on Saturdays).

If vehicles are lined up to outside the gate, you can expect to wait up to 15 minutes
Generally, the wait time to dump yard waste at peak hours is around 20 minutes.
If, at 1:45 p.m. the vehicles line-up is at the gate, it’s unlikely you will get to dump your yard waste before the yard closes for the day.

updating webcam image of Public Works Yard line up

Drop-off Program Closure Dates

Invasive Plants

Invasive plant and vine material should not be disposed of through the green bin program or through drop-off at the Garbally Road yard. Improper disposal could result in the spread of invasive plant material to our natural environment. To safely dispose of invasive plants, please bring them to the regional disposal site:

Place all plant and vine parts in garbage bags
Label the bags: “INVASIVE PLANTS”
Take your bags to Hartland Landfill, located at 1 Hartland Avenue

Residential Branch Chipping 2025

You prune, we remove. The City of Victoria provides a branch chipping service to help residents remove tree branches from their yard. Before pruning, please consult the City's Tree Protection Bylaw for guidance.

To have your branches picked up, place them on the grass boulevard by Monday, February 24 at 7 a.m. for chipping. Each household can have one pile of loosely stacked branches no bigger than the amount a half-ton pickup truck can hold. Trucks will make one pass down each street.

Please note that only tree branches can be chipped and collected. All other yard waste can be taken to the City's Public Works Yard for disposal.

Preparing Your Branch Pile

Branch Pick-Up Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines:

Leave branches on the grass boulevard by 7 a.m. on February 24.
Make only one pile (per household) no bigger than 1 x1 x 2.5 metres or 4x4x6 feet – about the amount a pickup truck can hold.
Only tree branches between 2.5 cm/1” to 25 cm/10” in diameter will be picked up.
Branches should be loosely stacked with their cut ends together.
Branches should not be placed in bags or boxes or tied with string or wire.
If your property does not have a grass boulevard, the branch piles can be placed on public or private property behind the sidewalk or in the driveway behind the sidewalk. Please do not place branch piles on the sidewalk or roadway. Piles left in rear lane ways will not be chipped.
Do not put out branches more than two weeks before the pick-up start date.

Items Not Accepted

Curbside Collection

Did you know you can add yard and garden waste to your green bin? Check your schedule here.

Residential Leaf Collection

Each year starting in the fall, the City of Victoria collects approximately 7,000 tonnes of leaves from over 40,000 trees. The City offers leaf collection to residents to help keep leaves out of storm sewers. Leaves in the storm sewers can cause flooding. Collected leaves are used to produce quality mulch for City parks and community programs.

Residential leaf collection is coming to your neighbourhood soon. Crews will start leaf collection in your zone on the collection start date and it will take three to four weeks to complete a zone.

Neighbourhood (Zone)	First Collection Starts	Second Collection Starts
James Bay, Fairfield, Rockland, Gonzales	Oct. 15	Dec. 9
Oaklands, Fernwood, Jubilee, Hillside Quadra	Nov. 4	Dec. 16
Victoria West, Burnside, North Park, Harris Green, Downtown	Dec. 2	Jan. 6

Residents have three options for leaf collection.

Leaf Drop Off

Neighbourhood Leaf Collection

Pile your leaves on the boulevard in advance of the collection start date for your neighbourhood. Bags are not required for leaf collection. City trucks will make one pass down each street following each collection start date. Collection dates are weather-dependent, and crews prioritize areas that are prone to flooding. Crews will start leaf collection in your zone on the collection start date and continue for the following three to four weeks. Please see the table above for 2024 collection timelines.

A map of City of Victoria neighbourhoods

Call for Bagged Leaf Pick-Up Service

Leaf Collection FAQs

Tips for Leaf Collection

bags are not required for leaf drop-off or for neighbourhood collection, but if you use them, always use clear, certified-compostable bags
do not place leaves in other types of bags, boxes or containers
keep streets, sidewalks and storm drains clear of leaves
ensure leaf piles and bags are placed on the grass boulevard, and are visible and accessible from the street
avoid placing leaf piles on or against trees, power poles, signs and fire hydrants
for properties without a grassy boulevard, place your leaf piles on your property
please follow the ‘No Parking’ signs that will be placed by crews before collection begins

Leaves and yard waste are accepted in your green bin. If you have a lot of leaves, participating in the leaf collection program frees up your green bin for other yard and garden waste.

The following items are not accepted:

ivy clippings
pine needles
soil
blackberry canes
rocks
morning glory
roots
garden refuse
stumps
compost
lawn clippings
branches
any construction lumber or branch material from commercial tree contractors and landscaping companies

Can I compost my leaves instead?

Absolutely. Mulched leaves are a valuable source of nutrients for potted plants, flowers, shrubs and trees. By composting your own leaves, you also help reduce emissions caused by leaf blowers, trucks and other equipment used by the leaf pick-up service.

For more information on backyard composting, contact the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre at 250.386.9676 or visit the Compost Education Centre.

How do I report leaves blocking the sewer?

City of Victoria Leaf Mulch

The City processes its own leaf mulch with leaves collected during residential leaf collection as well as from parks, sports fields, tennis courts, streets and other areas. Most of what we process is used within Victoria's 138 parks and open spaces.

At certain times of year, surplus leaf mulch is available for the public to self-load outside the Parks Yard at the end of Nursery Road in Beacon Hill Park until the supply runs out. Surplus leaf mulch will be available again starting late winter 2024. Gardeners wanting to pick up this free mulch can use shovels and pitchforks. Heavy machinery (i.e., Bobcat equipment) is not allowed. You may wish to call ahead to see if mulch is available during busy times of year: 250.361.0600.

The City also makes leaf mulch available for community gardening projects. If you are involved in a community gardening project, contact parks@victoria.ca or 250.361.0600 for more information. Through the City delivers leaf mulch to residents for home gardens.