Individual roll-out carts are typically 28 inches wide and approximately four feet high. They have two large wheels at the back of the cart and are designed for easy handling.  Benefits of individual carts include:

• improved, scheduled service
• encouragement of personal waste minimization practices (including reuse, recycling, and composting);
• reduced garbage container fires;
• reduced graffiti;
• reduced scavenging;
• less heavy equipment in lanes;
• reduced dumping of illegal materials; and
• less damage to property from containers.

Automated Garbage Collection:
Please remove the cart from the street/lane after collection to prevent theft or damage of your roll-out cart.

Conversions of all neighbourhoods to individual roll-out waste carts
Updated July 22, 2010

In 2007, City Council approved the Saskatoon Waste and Recycling Plan. It is a 20 year plan for waste management in our city. The first stage of implementing many of the recommendations in the plan is to convert all neighbourhoods to individual roll-out waste carts.

At a meeting of City Council on July 21, 2010, a conversion schedule for the remaining neighourhoods was approved and will be implemented over the next 14 months. The schedule is: Greystone Heights; Brevoort Park; Eastview; Nutana Park; Adelaide/Churchill; Holliston; Haultain; Buena Vista; Nutana; Westmount; King George; Meadow Green; and Holiday Park. Each neighbourhood will be notified in advance of their conversion.

Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)

Front Street or Back Lane Collection for newly converted neighbourhoods?
Prior to a neighbourhood conversion, each neighbourhood's Councillor will be contacted to determine if their constituents prefer front street or back lane collection in their neighbourhood for their new individual roll-out waste carts. This will be based on feedback the Councillor receives. If the preference is to collect the carts in the lanes, a letter will be delivered to each home explaining the process and timeline for delivery of the carts. If the preference is to have a trial of front street collection, the City will host an open house to explain the trial process. After the trial period of front street collection, the neighbourhood will be surveyed for their preference of collection (stay with front street or move to rear lane). NOTE: some areas of a neighbourhood with front street collection may require back lane collection for operational reasons such as high volume of traffic on their street, raised front yards with steps, or high volume of on street parking. Those areas would receive letters indicating their special circumstances with instructions on where to place their cart.

Back Lane Collection - How it works

• Carts must be placed in the lane prior to 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
• Carts must be placed on level ground, four feet from any obstruction (trees/poles/etc).
• Residents are reminded not to block gates or garage doors.
• Carts must be removed from the lane and returned to the resident's property within 24 hours of the time of collection.
• Carts will be placed on one side of the lane only based on operational needs.
• No waste placed on the ground beside the cart will be collected. Cart lids must be closed as well - don't overfill your cart.
• If rear gate or fence modifications are needed to accommodate rear lane access for the carts, this will be at the expense of the property owner. 

Front Street Collection - How it works

• Carts must be placed in the street (not on the sidewalk) prior to 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
• Carts must be placed on level ground, four feet from another cart or a parked car.
• If you live in a cul-de-sac, please refer to instructions in your annual garbage collection calendar for placement of your carts.

How can I reduce the amount of garbage I throw away?

• Compost your household organics and your leaves and grass. You can buy your own composter or take your leaves/grass and non-Elm tree branches to one of the City's Compost Depots.
• Recycle your tin cans, newspapers, cardboard/packaging boxes, milk and beverage containers at one of the City's six Recycling Depots.
• Recycle your glass and porcelain at the City's Landfill. A special collection bin is available on the site.

Use of your individual roll-out cart
The following items must NOT be placed in or near your cart:

These above items must be taken directly to the Landfill. Excess refuse, whether bagged or unbagged, left beside the carts will NOT be picked up by drivers of automated collection trucks. The City may decide not to pick up a cart that includes these materials.

You Were Asking:
Why are there changes to collection during winter months?
Households tend to generate less garbage when the weather turns cold, and there are less issues with respect to odours from compostable material. To ensure efficient use of tax dollars, garbage is collected every other week starting in November. During the Christmas season, collection temporarily resumes weekly pick-up. These changes are noted on your pick-up schedule.

What happens when it gets really cold?
Should the temperature dip below -35 degrees on your pick-up day, City trucks may have a difficult time meeting the collection schedule. Should this occur, leave your cart out until it is collected. The City works with local media and provides news releases indicating resumed services and schedules of pick up times.

Recycling in Saskatoon:
To reduce the amount of materials going to the Landfill, you can recycle a variety of household, yard, and shop products.

For More Information:
For additional information about appropriate materials in the containers or recycling opportunities, call our hotline during normal business hours: Environmental Services Branch, Solid Waste Division, 975-2486.