Waste Management in Callander

Household Waste
Collected weekly by GFL (Green For Life) for processing at the Merrick Landfill Site in North Bay.

Residential urban: Tuesday commencing at 7:00 am

Residential rural: Friday commencing at 7:00 am

View the Urban Recycling and Garbage Area Map to determine which area you fall into.

Contractor: GFL - Green For Life
Phone: (705) 472-1768

Collection Requirements: All waste set out for collection must be in a covered container and must be bagged so as to prevent loose waste. Waste and recycling must be set out for collection no earlier than 7:00 pm the day before collection and removed by 9:00 am on the day following collection. Property owners will be responsible for cleaning up any spilled materials and/or waste promptly.

Yard waste cannot be left at the curb, and must be taken to the Landfill. We encourage you to "Leave the Leaves", as plant litter in your garden can increase biodiversity and boost pollinator communities that will support your garden! A layer of leaves in the garden bed also provides added insulation for perennial plants. Composting your leaf litter in the spring after the pollinators have emerged is the best way to help the critters in your environment. Learn more about the benefits of leaving the leaves here.

Collection limits: Collection of waste will be restricted to 3 containers per week for residential and 6 containers per week for commercial.

Bag Tag Program: Residents will have the option to purchase garbage bag tags when additional collection is required. Garbage bag tags will be available at the Municipal Office at a cost of $3.00 per tag.

Garbage Bag Tags, Open-Air Buring Permits (aka Fire Permit), and Animal Tags can be purchased online directly through our website.

Online purchases can be made using Visa, Mastercard, or Interac Online banking.

As an alternative to purchasing online, please note that services can also be purchased directly at the Municipal Office.

If you need any assistance, you can contact us at 705-752-1410 x221.

Purchase Garbage Bag Tags

Please see the following link for answers to What Goes Where.

Recyclables

As of January 1, 2025, Callander’s recycling program will be managed by Circular Materials, a national not-for-profit organization that is committed to building an efficient and effective recycling system in Ontario.

For your recycling pickup schedule please see https://www.circularmaterials.ca/resident-communities/callander/

Questions about recycling, please contact Emterra at 1-888-597-1541 or email customercareont@emterra.ca

Hazardous Wastes
Callander residents must drop off at the Hazardous Waste Depot in North Bay

Municipal Dump

Please note that there is no municipal dump in Callander. Residents are requested to use the Merrick Landfill Site off Highway 11 North on Sand Dam Road in Merrick Township.

Hours of operation:

Monday – Friday: 7:30am – 5pm

Saturday: 8am – 5pm

Sundays: Only summer months (Victoria Day to Thanksgiving) 12pm – 4pm.

For more information, please visit the Merrick Landfill Website.

Composting
Composting bins are readily available for purchase at hardware stores. One-third of household garbage is estimated to be compostable.

The “4R Approach”
Reduce, reuse, recycle, and repair as much as possible.

Hazardous Material
Dispose of hazardous material regularly, at the Household Hazardous Waste Depot.

Spring & Fall Cleanup
Each spring and fall, Callander residents are offered opportunities to dispose of unwanted items, according to a list of accepted objects. Information about spring and fall cleanup is available on our Spring and Fall Cleanup Page.

Pitch In

The Pitch In Community Cleanup involves millions of Canadians in local projects focused on cleaning up, restoring, and/or preserving the environment. Callander community members get together once a year to clean up beaches, neighbourhoods, and public outdoor spaces. For more information, visit the Events page.

Garbage Bag Tags, Open-Air Buring Permits (aka Fire Permit), and Animal Tags can be purchased online directly through our website.

Online purchases can be made using Visa, Mastercard, or Interac Online banking.

As an alternative to purchasing online, please note that services can also be purchased directly at the Municipal Office.

If you need any assistance, you can contact us at 705-752-1410 x221.

Purchase Garbage Bag Tags

For all the information about Spring and Fall Clean Up Days in Callander, visit the Spring and Fall Clean Up Days page.

FreeCycle Weekend

The next FreeCycle Weekend will be October 19th and 20th.

During Callander’s FreeCycle Weekend, place used items that are in good condition on your property next to the sidewalk or curb for others to take. This gives older items new life and keeps them out of landfills, which helps us contribute to a more sustainable community and maintain longevity in our landfills.

• Please only leave out items in usable condition
• FreeCycle Weekend Free Item Signs are available to download here. Please attach these to your items to reduce any confusion over which items are free.
• All goods need to be removed from the curb by Sunday at 6 pm
• We’ve planned for this to take place the weekend before fall clean-up days, in case residents wish to place any remaining items back on the curb for their designated curbside pickup day

• Additional guidelines:
  • Respect other people’s property – don’t walk or drive on people’s lawns or gardens
  • Don’t discard items on another person’s lawn
  • Obey traffic laws at all times (e.g., don’t block traffic, park illegally or block people’s driveways with your vehicle)
  • Keep items you do not want to give away close to your home to avoid confusion
  • Keep sidewalks and fire hydrants clear

Callander’s waste material is dictated by the Municipal Waste Management by-law 2017-1522.