As the leaves continue to fall, the City of Vernon is helping residents tidy up their yards with the return of its annual fall leaf pickup program.
From November 16 to 20, 2026, residents who receive curbside waste collection services can take advantage of the City's free leaf pickup program. During this one-week period, Emterra Environmental will collect leaves in clear plastic bags on each household's regular garbage collection day.
Residents can place an unlimited number of clear bags filled with leaves at their regular garbage collection location before 7:00 a.m. on their designated collection day.
To help ensure a smooth collection process, residents are reminded of the following guidelines:
- Use clear bags: All leaves must be placed in transparent plastic bags so collection crews can easily identify the contents.
- Watch the weight: Bags weighing more than 23 kilograms (50 pounds) will not be collected.
- Report missed pickups: Any missed collections must be reported to the City within 24 hours.
- Avoid coloured bags: Coloured or opaque bags will be treated as regular household garbage and subject to standard collection limits.
Residents are also reminded not to rake leaves onto streets or roadways, as they can block storm drains and interfere with street sweeping operations.
The City thanks residents for doing their part to keep neighbourhoods clean and storm drains clear throughout the fall season.
For more information about the program, including collection guidelines, visit vernon.ca/leaf-pickup.