Montreal's garbage collection goes biweekly in more boroughs, bins mandatory from Nov. 2

Several Montreal boroughs are changing how often household garbage is collected, with the changes taking effect October 1 in Ahuntsic-Cartierville and a Villeray sector, and November 2 in L'Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève and Pierrefonds-Roxboro.

In Ahuntsic-Cartierville, the change covers single-family homes and buildings with 8 or fewer dwellings in the Ahuntsic and Sault-au-Récollet districts. The borough is distributing free large dark grey bins, one or several per address, to be used exclusively for household waste. Distribution starts in September unless residents complete an opt-out form. After distribution, bins can be added or removed through 311, subject to eligibility criteria.

In L'Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève and Pierrefonds-Roxboro, collection days and sectors stay the same, but only waste in a compliant rolling bin will be picked up. Garbage bags and surplus waste left outside the bin will no longer be collected. Accepted bins are city-supplied or of the same characteristics, in good condition, with a hinged cover, in capacities of 120, 240 or 360 litres. Bin supply or repair is handled through 311. Pierrefonds-Roxboro excludes the Coopérative Village Cloverdale sector.

In Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, one sector in the François-Perrault district changes October 1. The last collection before the change was September 24, with no collection October 1. Collection day stays Thursday, and the borough may provide a free bin depending on the situation, via a form.

The city says spacing out collections encourages better sorting at source, and that a large share of garbage-bin contents could be recycled, composted or reused. Recyclables and food waste will continue to be collected weekly. Saint-Laurent, Verdun and Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve already offer biweekly collection, and other boroughs will follow in the coming years.