The City of Montreal will shift trash collection from weekly to biweekly in four boroughs starting in October and November 2026 [2].
The change is part of a broader effort to reduce waste as regional landfills near capacity. By limiting the frequency of garbage pickup, the city intends to force a reduction in total household waste while lowering operational costs.
A spokesperson for the City of Montreal said the municipal government expects to save $41 million over the next seven years [1]. While trash pickup will move to every two weeks, the city confirmed that recycling and compost collection will remain weekly [1].
One of the affected areas includes the borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve [3]. However, the rollout is not uniform across all districts. Westmount will maintain weekly garbage collection for the next seven months [4].
Local leaders have expressed skepticism regarding the effectiveness of the policy. The mayor of Westmount said that limiting garbage pickup does not always mean less garbage [5].
Some residents have already reported negative side effects from the shift in schedules. Janique Leblanc, a local resident, said she has never seen rats in the area before [6].
The city maintains that the financial and environmental benefits justify the transition. The $41 million in estimated savings [1] is intended to ease the burden on taxpayers while addressing the urgent need for landfill space.
“"We expect to save $41 million over the next seven years."”
Montreal's move to biweekly collection reflects a growing trend among urban centers to use service reductions as a tool for environmental behavioral change. By increasing the friction of waste disposal, the city is attempting to accelerate diversion rates toward recycling and composting. However, the disparity in service between boroughs like Westmount and the rest of the city, coupled with reports of pest increases, suggests a potential conflict between fiscal goals and public health management.
