Bulky waste in Montreal: city collection vs private junk removal

The City of Montreal’s bulky waste collection suits households with a few accepted items who can wait for their sector’s date. A private service becomes more practical when you have a large volume, items the City refuses, a deadline or a commercial address. Here is how to compare the two, using the rules published by the City of Montreal.

How the city collection works in Montreal

The City lets residents put bulky items and construction, renovation and demolition (CRD) waste at the curb, following the collection schedule of their borough. According to the City’s page:

• the service runs year-round and is reserved for residential houses and buildings;
• only individuals qualify: businesses, shops, schools and other organizations must use a private company;
• you must follow the schedule and the instructions to avoid a fine;
• a maximum volume applies per address and per collection. The published figures vary by borough (for example 2 m3 per dwelling for a building of 1 to 8 dwellings in one version of the page, and 5 m3 per address in another). Beyond that, the City asks you to hire a private contractor;
• a box or container may weigh at most 25 kg, and plastic bags are not allowed as containers.

Dates, volumes and some instructions change from one borough to another. Check the collection schedule for your address or call 311.

What is accepted and what is refused

According to the City’s page on what to put out for bulky item and CRD collection, only reusable or transformable materials are picked up.

In other words, an old couch, a mattress and a TV will not leave with the city collection, even if the rest of your clear-out is accepted.

Preparing your items for the city collection

If you choose the City’s collection, a few steps help you avoid a refusal or a fine. These are the instructions the City publishes:

1. Put items out on the right day, following your sector’s schedule, not at just any time.
2. Remove the doors from washers and dryers, along with nails, screws and sharp metal.
3. Tie lumber into bundles of at most 1 m in length and 50 cm in diameter.
4. Avoid cardboard boxes when it rains: they soften and spill their contents.
5. Use bins with handles or boxes weighing 25 kg or less once full, never plastic bags.
6. In winter, make sure items stay visible and do not block the way during snow removal.

If items are still on the sidewalk after the truck has passed, the City offers a form to report a collection problem.

The ecocentre: a third route

Between curbside collection and a private service sit Montreal’s 7 ecocentres. Residents of the agglomeration can bring much of this material, including upholstered bulky items, with photo ID and proof of address. For a resident, the City lists CRD waste and upholstered bulky items as free up to 12 m3 per year, then 31 $ per additional m3. You do need a suitable vehicle, and you load, drive and unload without staff help, sometimes after waiting in line.

When a private service makes more sense

A private pickup costs money, but it removes several limits of the city collection:

• You have a deadline: a move, the end of a lease, a property sale or renovation work. We often offer same-day service.
• You are a business or commercial owner: the City excludes businesses from its collection.
• The volume exceeds the per-address limit: a full clear-out, a basement or a garage emptied in one visit.
• The items are refused: couches, mattresses, TVs, large appliances.
• You have no vehicle or help to carry things: we come inside, pick up the items and load them ourselves.

At Good Bye Junk Montréal, pickups start from $150, with a free quote. We serve Montreal, Laval, the North Shore and the South Shore, within about 80 km, and we prioritize recycling and donation before landfill.

Side-by-side comparison

Whichever route you pick, sort first, keep what can be reused, and send only what is truly waste. A short list of what you own, written before you decide, usually makes the right choice obvious.

FAQ

Is Montreal’s bulky waste collection free?

It is one of the municipal services offered to individuals, and the City’s page mentions no fee, but it does warn of fines if the schedule and instructions are not followed.

Can I put a mattress or couch out with bulky items?

No, the City refuses them in this collection, except in Saint-Laurent where they must go in a separate pile. Check your borough’s rules or call 311.

What if my volume exceeds the limit for my address?

The City then asks you to use a private contractor. You can also take part of the items to an ecocentre.

What if I live in Laval or on the South Shore?

Those municipalities run their own collections and rules, so check your city’s website. We can also work in those areas.

Get a no-obligation quote

If the city collection does not fit your situation, ask for a free quote: pickups start from $150, often the same day. Call +1 (514) 295-2123, see our services and rates or write to us through the contact page. Our Google rating is 5.0 from 128 reviews.

Sources

• City of Montreal: Bulky item and CRD collection procedures (in French)
• City of Montreal: What to put out for bulky item collection (in French)
• City of Montreal: Dropping off items at an ecocentre (in French)

Sources

• City of Montreal: Bulky item and CRD collection procedures (in French)
• City of Montreal: What to put out for bulky item collection (in French)
• City of Montreal: Dropping off items at an ecocentre (in French)