Winnipeg, MB – City of Winnipeg crews are set to begin a variety of annual spring operations in the coming days.
Spring cleanup activities
On Sunday, May 1 at 10 p.m., weather dependent, crews will begin cleaning Winnipeg’s entire street network, including bridges, sidewalks, and active transportation pathways.
It’s anticipated that crews will commence the cleanup of boulevards and median, as well as cleaning up litter and debris in City parks on Sunday, May 8, weather and conditions permitting.
The major operation involves over 300 pieces of equipment, and approximately 500 workers and is anticipated to take place over the next five to six weeks.
When a residential street is scheduled for sweeping, residents are urged to find an alternate place to park such as an off-street driveway or parking lot. This will help the City’s spring cleanup operation run smoothly and will prevent you from being ticketed and towed.
Vehicles parked in violation may receive a $150 ticket ($112.50 if paid within 14 days), and may be towed to the towing company’s compound at the owner’s expense.Please note that not all streets get “No parking” signs ahead of cleanup operations – these are typically only placed on streets that present challenges for crews. That’s why it’s very important to routinely check your street for signs, check the progress update map, and use the Know Your Zone app, and move your vehicle to avoid being ticketed or towed.
Residents are encouraged to download and use the Know Your Zone app this spring to stay in the know about our spring cleanup operations and temporary parking restrictions. Residents can add their favourite addresses in the app to receive Spring Cleanup Alerts in advance of planned operations.
The City’s official Know Your Zone app is available for free download for android devices at the Google Play App Store, and for Apple devices at the Apple App Store.
For more information on the City’s spring cleanup activities, including a progress map, see: winnipeg.ca/springcleanup.
Yard waste collection
This year's curbside yard waste collection program will begin the week of May 9 for homes in yard waste collection area "A" and the week of May 16 for homes in yard waste collection area "B". Residents can also drop off yard waste for free at the Brady, Pacific, or Panet 4R Winnipeg Depots.
Yard waste is collected at the curb once every two weeks, on the same collection day as recycling and garbage, and will continue until November.
Residents can find out their yard waste collection days by:
- Visiting winnipeg.ca/collectionday
- Contacting 311
Yard waste includes unlimited amounts of outside organic materials, such as grass clippings, leaves, plants, flowers, bush/shrub clippings, and small tied bundles of branches no longer than one metre or heavier than 22 kilograms.
Residents can put their yard waste in:
- Any reusable container without a lid (e.g., plastic tubs, old blue boxes, old metal or plastic garbage containers), containers should not be broken or damaged
- Cardboard boxes
- Paper yard waste bags (available at many stores)
Yard waste in plastic bags will not be accepted because the plastic bags do not decompose and will ruin the finished compost.
Residents are urged not to rake any yard waste material or debris onto the street as this can plug the street drains and cause ponding problems as well as increase the risk of basement flooding.
Residents are reminded to place their yard waste containers at least an arm’s length away from their recycling and garbage carts, and to store collected yard waste away from buildings. It is also recommended that yard waste be put out for collection no sooner than the evening before the scheduled collection day.
In 2021, more than 30,000 tonnes of yard waste was collected through the curbside yard waste collection program and composted at the Brady Road Resource Management Facility. The composted material is used in City flower beds, in landscaping finished landfill areas. Compost also gets donated to community gardens and to Winnipeg residents through our annual compost giveaway.
The yard waste collection program will help reach our community’s goal of keeping more garbage out of the landfill. It also helps protect our environment by reusing valuable organic material and significantly reducing harmful leachate and greenhouse gases.
For information on yard waste collection, visit winnipeg.ca/yardwaste.