Multi-Family Collection
By October 1, 2026, all condos, villas and townhouses (multiple dwelling developments) are required to receive on-site collection for all three waste streams. This includes garbage, organics (food scraps and yard waste) and recycling.
If your building currently receives Waste Collection by the City of St. Albert:
Affected residents will receive a letter in the mail in January 2026 that will outline next steps.
What to expect next:
- Cart Delivery: Between February 2026 and October 1, 2026, the City will deliver a 120-litre green organics cart (standard size) unless another size is chosen. Each home can only have one organics cart. Green organics carts are for organic material only, including food scraps and yard waste.
- Cart Collection: Collection will start on your designated zone’s collection day after you receive your cart.
- Organics Cart Fee: Once your cart is delivered, your monthly utility bill will include the new fee for organics carts. The 2026 fees are still being approved, but the 2025 monthly fee was $6.72.
- Cart Size Selection: (affected residents have received a letter
- Option 1: You want to keep the standard 120-litre cart size. No action is required.
- Option 2: You want to request a larger 240-litre cart (same monthly fee as the 120-litre cart). To make this request with no additional fees, please email wastewise@stalbert.ca or call 780-459-1557 by January 31, 2026. Please note, if you request a cart size change after it is delivered, there will be a $50 administration fee for the change.
If your building does not currently receive Waste Collection by the City:
- An open house was held in October 2024 to inform condo boards about the upcoming changes.
- Buildings receiving waste collection by other companies are responsible to arrange with their hauler of preference to contract organics and recycling collection.
- For recycling, building management needs to contact Circular Materials (CM), to have recycling collected free of charge. To register visit the Circular Materials website.
- A Waste Diversion Report will need to be submitted to the City annually. More information will be available in 2026.
Why are these changes happening?
- The new Bylaw No. 17/2018 - Residential Solid Waste Management will require all multiple unit residential developments to have three waste streams by Oct 1, 2026.
- These changes were approved by City Council on April 1, 2025: Residential Solid Waste Management Bylaw (6/2025)
- This change within the bylaw reflects St. Albert’s commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, outlined in the City’s Municipal Development Plan and the Green Environment Long Range Strategy.
Are there any benefits to residents?
Using an organic bin will provide you with an opportunity to divert more organics and you may be able to decrease your brown garbage cart from a 240 L (if the size is not regulated by your condo board) to a 120L or 80L garbage cart. This could offset the cost of your organic collection or even decrease your total waste fee.
Why do these changes matter?
These updates help make St. Albert cleaner and greener. Did you know that more than half of what St. Albert residents throw away can be composted instead of sent to the landfill?
A 2022 St. Albert Residential Curbside Waste Composition Study showed that, on average:
- 55 per cent of household waste is organics
- 11 per cent is recycling
- 34 per cent is garbage
When organics go to the landfill, they decompose and create methane gas, which is about 28 times more harmful than carbon dioxide (CO₂). By using your green cart, you help reduce harmful greenhouse gases and protect our environment.
Related Pages
Last edited: January 9, 2026