Yard cleanup in Gatineau: collection or hauling?

Define what the crew should finish

Walk the property and describe the result you want in each area: leaves cleared from paths, garden beds tidied, loose branches gathered, or accumulated debris removed. Send photos of the backyard, access gate and existing piles. Identify plants you want to keep and areas the crew should leave alone.

Ask each contractor to separate cleanup labour, bags and supplies, loading, transport and disposal in the quote. For hourly work, confirm crew size, the billing basis and a spending limit that requires your approval before the crew continues. For a fixed price, agree on how the contractor will handle debris beyond the photographed scope.

Specify whether the crew will leave filled bags at the curb, stack them elsewhere until collection day, or remove them before leaving. Ask who will return if the collection crew refuses material because of its packaging or contents.

Match bagging to your collection date

Gatineau accepts dead leaves, garden residues and branches under 4 cm in diameter and no longer than 1.5 m for special green-waste collection. Accepted containers include paper bags, round garbage cans with handles, and non-blue wheeled bins of 80 to 360 L marked with a V. The City also accepts tied branch bundles. [1]

For a large leaf cleanup, ask the contractor to estimate the bag count before choosing curbside preparation. The City limits paper bags to 20 per special collection. Alternatives include spreading bags across collections or taking leaf bags to an ecocentre. For weekly compost collection, the City also accepts European-lift-compatible wheeled bins, other than blue, of 80 to 360 L marked with a V, with no limit on the number of those bins. Confirm lift compatibility before buying or using a bin for this weekly option. [1]

Keep collection access in the scope: the City requires curbside placement and at least 60 cm of clearance on each side of wheeled bins. Agree on a storage spot if the crew finishes before your collection date. [1]

Confirm the hauling route and fees

Gatineau requires ecocentre users to present valid proof of residence and identity. Residents receive 12 m³ of branch disposal without charge per calendar year; the City charges CAD 36.30 per m³ above that allowance. It lists CAD 36.30 per m³ for branches brought by qualifying Gatineau small businesses. Ask your contractor which category and destination they will use before assuming your resident allowance covers their load. [2]

Ask for the disposal allowance in writing, including the material type, included volume and approval process for extra charges. Request a disposal receipt when the contractor bills fees separately. The City applies a minimum billable volume of 1 m³ to ecocentre visits that incur a charge, so a small chargeable branch load can still attract the full minimum. [2]

Keep household rubbish and renovation debris separate from leaves and branches. The City requires visitors to sort materials before arrival and unload them themselves; it may refuse construction loads mixed with household rubbish or other unacceptable materials. Tell the contractor about mixed piles before accepting a hauling quote. [2]

Choose what to mulch and what to isolate

Consider leaf mulching when you want to retain leaves on the property. The City recommends mowing dry leaves as they begin to fall, repeating the work to avoid large accumulations, and spreading thick layers before shredding. Ask the crew to price this approach if you prefer it to bagging. [3]

Point out suspected poison ivy before anyone gathers vegetation into a shared pile. The City advises protective clothing and gloves, cleaning contaminated tools and clothing, and disposing of plant debris with household garbage. It warns against composting or burning poison ivy. Agree on a separate removal scope before the crew handles that patch. [4]

Published Gatineau ecocentre branch disposal fees

Choose the cleanup scope

Your hiring checklist

1. Photograph each work area, existing debris piles and the route to the loading spot.
2. Mark plants to keep and identify suspected hazardous vegetation.
3. Choose mulching, curbside preparation or removal for each material.
4. Give the contractor your confirmed collection date if debris will stay at the curb.
5. Confirm labour, supplies, hauling and disposal allowances in writing.
6. Agree on approval for extra work and the final location of any remaining material.
7. Ask for proof of liability insurance and review the finished areas before payment.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I budget for the cleanup crew?

The municipal disposal fees shown here do not establish contractor cleanup prices. Get written quotes for the same photographed scope and disposal method. Ask whether bags, loading, travel, disposal and applicable taxes appear in the total. [2]

Can the contractor put leaves in plastic bags for green-waste pickup?

The City’s accepted modes for special green-waste collection include paper bags, suitable garbage cans, qualifying V-marked wheeled bins and tied branch bundles. Plastic bags are absent from that list. Specify paper bags if you choose bagging. [1]

Does my free branch allowance mean hauling should be free?

Treat transport and disposal as separate quote items. Residents receive 12 m³ of branch disposal without charge per year, but the City lists a separate small-business branch fee. Confirm the contractor’s category and disposal arrangement before relying on your allowance. [2]

Should the crew remove all fallen leaves?

You can ask the crew to shred suitable dry leaves on the lawn instead. The City recommends spreading thick layers before mowing and repeating the process as leaves fall. Decide which areas you want cleared and which you want mulched before work begins. [3]