The rules for loose leaf collection in Waterloo Region

Waterloo’s loose leaf collection program is underway and CTV’s Krista Simpson explains what homeowners need to do to prepare.

Waterloo has started its annual loose leaf collection program, clearing them from about 30,000 properties across the city over a four-week period.

Much of that work is done using a machine, dubbed “the Titan,” which vacuums up the leaves people rake onto the road.

“The program is intended to service what we frame as street trees, boulevard trees,” explained Bob Henderson, Waterloo’s director of transportation services. “Those are the trees that exist on your front yard closest to the sidewalk. The program’s not intended for raking leaves from your backyard out to the front for the city to collect.”

Anyone who breaks those rules could get a visit from a bylaw officer.

It is also best if leaves aren’t raked too soon ahead of an area’s designated collection date.

“A day or two before is ideal because then that gives less chance of the leaves blowing around and getting lost around the city,” Henderson explained.

Residents who miss their collection date are asked not to rake the leaves onto the street but seek out other options.

Those include bagging the leaves and taking them to the landfill or mulching and leaving them on the lawn. Another option is to put the leaves out as yard waste, which will be picked up on opposite weeks from garbage collection until the end of November or early December.

The annual budget for the Waterloo program is $350,000.

Details on Waterloo’s pick up schedule can be found online at Loose leaf collection - City of Waterloo. There is also signage posted around the city indicating when loose leaf collection is expected in the area.

Cambridge

Cambridge also offers loose leaf collection, which is scheduled to start Nov. 10.

Details can be found here: Loose Leaf Collection - City of Cambridge

Kitchener

Loose leaf collection is only offered on Kitchener streets with mature trees, where the leaves can create a safety hazard on the road.

Leaves cannot be raked onto the road any earlier than the weekend before the scheduled pick-up date for the area. The city said that helps prevent loose leaves from blowing into and clogging storm drains, which can cause localized flooding when it rains.

Kitchener residents can also leave their leaves at one of the city’s eight drop-off sites, which are open until Dec. 5. The list of locations is online at Kitchener.ca/Leaves.