CRD pickup rules in Montreal: weight limits, bundles, and prohibited items

Montreal offers year-round curbside collection for construction, renovation, and demolition (CRD) waste. But the service comes with specific rules about weight, container types, and what you can actually put out. Miss the details and your debris sits on the curb until you fix it. Worth reading through before your next renovation or landscaping project.

How the CRD collection service works

The City of Montreal provides curbside CRD pickup for residential properties throughout the year. The service covers construction, renovation, and demolition debris from small household projects. For larger jobs, you'll need an ecocentre or a private contractor.

Collection schedules vary by borough. Check your exact pickup dates through Info-Collectes on the city website by entering your address.

Weight limits

According to the City of Montreal, the maximum weight per container is 25 kg (55 lbs) when filled. This applies to every individual box or bin you set out.

That 25 kg limit is firm. A single concrete slab or a box of ceramic tiles can blow past it quickly. Weigh materials with a bathroom scale if you're not sure. Overweight containers won't be picked up, and you'll be left dealing with them yourself.

Volume limits per address

Most boroughs cap the total volume of CRD materials at 2 to 5 cubic metres per address per collection. The specific limit depends on your borough. For reference, 5 cubic metres is roughly the cargo area of a large pickup truck bed.

If your project generates more than the allowable volume, a few options:

• Bring excess materials to an ecocentre (up to 12 cubic metres per year free for residents)
• Drop off at your borough's municipal garage yard (typically free twice per year per address, then $25 for the first cubic metre and $11.80 for each additional)
• Hire a private contractor for large volumes

Bundle requirements for wood and long materials

Wood, lumber, and other long construction materials must be tied in bundles with these specifications:

• Maximum length: 1 metre (3.3 feet)
• Maximum diameter: 50 cm (20 inches)
• Maximum weight: 25 kg (55 lbs) per bundle

Secure bundles with string, rope, or wire. Loose boards scattered on the curb won't be collected.

Approved containers

Not every box or bag qualifies. The city will accept:

Allowed:

• Cardboard boxes (up to 1.5 metres long and 25 kg when filled)
• Garbage cans with lids and handles (up to 150 litres, 25 kg when filled)

Banned:

• All plastic bags, including the heavy-duty "construction" bags sold at hardware stores
• Regular household garbage bags
• Recycling bins or brown compost bins
• Wet cardboard boxes (they tear and spill)

The plastic bag ban catches many homeowners off guard. Those thick black contractor bags from the hardware store are explicitly prohibited.

Accepted materials for CRD pickup

The City of Montreal accepts small amounts of residential CRD debris, including:

• Aggregates of brick, stone, asphalt, and concrete debris
• Asphalt shingles
• Solid wood and lumber
• Pressed and laminated wood
• Ceramics and tiles
• Electric wiring
• Ferrous and non-ferrous metals
• Gypsum board (drywall)

The full list appears on the city's accepted items page.

Prohibited items

Certain materials will never be picked up at the curb, regardless of packaging:

• Asbestos-containing materials (requires disposal at an engineered landfill site)
• Contaminated soil
• Compressed gas cylinders (excluding propane tanks, which are household hazardous waste)
• Biomedical waste
• Hazardous household chemicals (bring these to an ecocentre)

Broken mirrors and drinking glasses must go in the regular garbage, placed in safe, rigid containers to protect collection workers.

Safety preparation

Before placing materials at the curb, the city requires that you remove all nails, screws, and other sharp metal parts. This protects collection workers and prevents damage to equipment. Take a few minutes with a pry bar or pliers to pull protruding fasteners from boards and drywall.

When collections pause

CRD collections may get suspended during snow-clearing operations in some boroughs. If a snowfall triggers plowing, check Info-Collectes for updated schedules before hauling materials to the curb.

Common mistakes to avoid

Based on the city's rules, these are the most frequent issues that lead to materials being left behind:

1. Using plastic bags instead of cardboard boxes or bins
2. Exceeding the 25 kg limit per container (especially with concrete, stone, or tile)
3. Leaving bundles untied or longer than 1 metre
4. Not removing nails and screws from wood
5. Setting out more than the borough's volume limit at once

Plan your project disposal before you start

Figure out CRD pickup rules before your project begins, not when debris is piling up in the driveway. Know your borough's volume limits, stock up on cardboard boxes, and keep an eye on weight as you fill them.

For landscaping projects that generate heavy materials like stone, concrete, and soil, the ecocentre route is often easier than curbside pickup. The 25 kg container limit makes rock and concrete disposal at the curb impractical for anything beyond a small amount.

Need a hand with your next outdoor project? Call Montreal Paysagement Pro at 514-900-3867 for a free estimate by phone or photo. We take care of debris disposal so you don't have to.

Sources:

• Bulky items and construction debris collections - Ville de Montreal
• Items accepted as CRD materials - Ville de Montreal
• Ecocentres - Ville de Montreal
• Disposing of construction debris responsibly - Ville de Montreal