The City of Courtenay residents with excess yard waste this spring have another option for responsible disposal; the drop-off collection point at the end of McKenzie Avenue will be available again for a limited time this spring.

The free seasonal yard waste drop-off program is open to Courtenay residents receiving curbside collection through the City who have excess yard waste that does not fit into their curbside collection container. The yard waste drop-off is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., from March 15 to April 17, 2025.

鈥淲e understand some properties generate more yard waste than others, especially as residents get their yards and gardens ready for spring,鈥� said Chris Thompson, Manager of Public Works Services at the City of Courtenay.

鈥淏ased on the success of the program in 2024, the City has expanded the drop-off to Saturdays to provide an option for those unable to utilize the service during the week.鈥�

McKenzie Avenue is located next to the City Operations Yard (formerly Public Works) and is accessed from Cumberland Road just west of the train tracks between McPhee and Piercy avenues.

Accepted materials for drop-off include leaves, grass clippings, flowers, plants and small branches less than 3 inches in diameter. Materials can be either loose or contained in a paper yard waste bag.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important that collected materials are clean,鈥� said Thompson. 鈥淲e ask residents to please ensure their yard waste is free of things like dog toys, plant pots and tags, or any other debris.鈥�

Plastic bags, even if they are labeled compostable/biodegradable, are not accepted at the drop-off or in curbside organics carts. Food waste and food-soiled paper are not accepted at the drop-off point and should go in each household鈥檚 curbside organics cart.

City staff will be monitoring the drop-off point throughout the day. Yard waste collected through the pilot program will be composted. Should a resident require assistance unloading, once on-site, they may call City Operations at 250-338-1525 so a staff member can assist.  

Yard waste volumes fluctuate widely through the year, with spring and fall seeing the highest volumes of yard debris. In previous years, this overwhelmed the collection contractor鈥檚 capacity at peak times, resulting in collection delays cascading across each zone. The automated collection system with standard curbside organics bins is expected to support a more balanced and regular collection schedule.

Residents who regularly need to dispose of larger amounts of yard waste have the option to request an extra organics cart from the City for an additional annual fee. To learn more about this option, email the City鈥檚 solid waste team at solidwaste@courtenay.ca.

For more information on the seasonal yard waste drop-off pilot project and curbside organics collection, visit .