The City of Thunder Bay is transitioning to a new automated cart-based system for garbage collection! This new program will improve curbside waste collection services, at the same time as reducing program operating costs.
As an initial phase-in, the City will introduce the new wheeled garbage carts to approximately 25% of residential households in 2025, with the remainder receiving their garbage carts in 2026.
When will I receive and begin using my garbage cart?
If your neighbourhood has been selected to be part of the initial "soft launch" of the program, you will receive your new wheeled garbage cart in late summer 2025. Your cart will be delivered to your driveway already assembled, with instructions attached for its use.
IMPORTANT: Do not use your new garbage cart to set out garbage for collection until the week of Sept. 22. Additional instructions will come with your garbage cart when it is delivered.
- While you wait for garbage cart usage to begin the week of Sept. 22, store your new garbage cart on your property (e.g., beside/behind your house). Do not store your garbage cart on the road or sidewalk.
- Write your address in permanent marker on the white panel on the front of your cart.
- Garbage carts are assigned to property addresses. Do not exchange carts with others. Garbage carts belong to the City of Thunder Bay.
Automated cart collection areas map
Explore our PDF map to find out which neighbourhoods are transitioning to the new system first. In the first pilot phase (fall 2025), around 9,500 homes in Thunder Bay will make the transition. The remaining areas of Thunder Bay areas will receive carts in mid-2026.
Download the Pilot Areas Map PDF and check for coloured lines on streets - easiest if you zoom in for a closer view. Streets with a solid coloured line will receive carts in late August/early September 2025. Streets with a dotted coloured line will receive carts only on the side of the street indicated by the dotted coloured line. Areas with no coloured lines will receive garbage carts in mid-2026.
Garbage Carts Pilot Areas Map (PDF)
How does an automated cart collection system work?
In automated cart collection systems, a truck with a mechanical arm picks up, empties, and returns carts to the curb. The driver stays in the truck's cab and uses a camera to operate the system, with no manual lifting required.
Your garbage collection cart will be compatible with the automated truck.
Frequently asked questions
| Why is the City transitioning to an automated garbage cart collection system? |
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The City of Thunder Bay’s current waste collection system is a manual system, with garbage picked up by hand in bags or garbage cans. Automated cart-based collection or ‘auto-cart’ is considered a best practice in the solid waste management industry, leading to improvements in collection efficiency, worker safety and satisfaction, reductions in injuries and climate change impacts. Thunder Bay's automated garbage cart program will also make it easier for residents to get garbage to the curb (eliminating heavy lifting and dragging), and will protect garbage from weather and animals. The adoption of an automated collection system for garbage is an action item in the City's 2014 Solid Waste Management Strategy, and approved by City Council for implementation. |
| Why is the initial 2025 roll-out only to a section of the City? |
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A phased-in implementation was chosen by the City to facilitate progress towards full implementation, while examining lessons learned along the way. The sections of the City that do not receive garbage carts in 2025 will receive them in mid-2026. |
| Will apartments or multi-residential housing receive garbage carts? |
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Residential housing with five units or less will receive garbage carts in 2025 or mid-2026. Residential housing with six or more units will transition during a subsequent phase of the roll-out. |
| I've received my cart. What do I do next? |
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If you are in the area of the City that receives garbage carts in late summer 2025, you'll need to wait until the week of Sept. 22 to start using it for garbage collection set-out. Store your garbage cart on your property (e.g. garage, beside/behind your house) until the week of Sept. 22. Do not store your cart on the road or sidewalk. |
| How much garbage will my cart hold? |
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The standard garbage carts provided to residents will have a 240L capacity, and hold approximately three bags. Do not overload your cart. You need to be able to close the lid fully. The mechanical arm on the truck picks up the cart and turns it completely upside-down during collection, and any materials jammed tightly into the cart may not fall out when tipped. Carts do not need to be full to be put out for collection. Tip: Some residents find it easier to lift smaller, lighter bags into the cart more frequently rather than dealing with one heavy bag. |
| Do I need to put garbage in bags before placing it in the cart? |
| Yes, residents should bag their garbage before placing in the cart. This helps ensure that loose items do not escape when the cart is tipped into the collection truck, and reduces potential litter. |
| Will there be any changes to what I can put in my garbage? |
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Good news - items we collect have not changed. Please place only garbage in your garbage cart, and place recyclables in your GFL recycling cart. Remember not to put out:
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| Is the waste collection schedule changing? |
| Good news - there are no changes to your schedule. You may check your schedule on our Garbage and Recycling webpage. |
| How do I set out my garbage cart for collection? |
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So that the arms on the truck can reach and collect your garbage cart, it needs to be positioned on level ground at the end of your driveway or at the side of the road, with the arrows on the lid facing the road. Please space your garbage cart and your recycling cart three feet/one metre apart. The cart's lid must be fully closed. If you have an additional tagged item of garbage for collection, place it on the ground next to the cart, not on top of the cart. Remember that carts placed behind vehicles, or too close to other objects, cannot be accessed by the collection truck. |
| Can I still purchase garbage tags for an additional item? |
| Yes! You can still purchase tags, and you may affix a tag to one additional item of garbage and set it beside your garbage cart for collection. |
| Whom do I contact if my garbage cart needs repair or replacement? |
| Call the City's Dispatchers at 807-625-2195. |
| What should I do with my old garbage can(s)? |
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Repurpose your old garbage can for storage! Hockey sticks? Kibble? Or, make it into a rain barrel. |
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What if I have accessibility concerns or mobility difficulties with a cart? |
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If you’re unable to move your cart due to mobility or accessibility needs, contact us at swms@thunderbay.ca or call 807-625-2195. We’ll work with you to find a solution so you can continue receiving collection service. Tip: Some residents find it easier to lift smaller, lighter bags into the cart more frequently rather than dealing with one heavy bag. |
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