Mattress disposal · Canada · Updated August 2026
How to Dispose of or Recycle an Old Mattress in Canada
Five realistic ways to get rid of an old mattress, from curbside pickup and transfer stations to recycling programs, plus what each typically costs and the mistakes that carry fines.
By Jordan Bedwell, Co-Founder, Hamuq Inc Municipal program details reviewed by Nathan Nielson, Hamuq leadership. Based in Toronto, Ontario. Last reviewed August 2026.
Getting rid of an old mattress in Canada is more complicated than it should be, and the rules and costs vary a lot from city to city. This guide covers every realistic option, from municipal pickup and transfer stations to recycling programs, retailer haul-away, and junk removal, plus how to recycle a mattress properly and what it typically costs. Rules change and differ by municipality, so always confirm the details for your own city.
How do you dispose of an old mattress in Canada?
To dispose of an old mattress in Canada, your main options are municipal bulky-waste pickup, dropping it at a local transfer station or recycling depot, using a mattress recycling program where one exists, arranging retailer haul-away when buying a new mattress, or hiring a junk-removal service.
Many cities charge a fee for pickup or drop-off, and some regions have dedicated mattress recycling that diverts materials from landfill. Costs and rules vary widely by municipality, so the reliable first step is to check your own city or region's waste website.
Municipal waste rules, fees, and recycling programs change often and differ by city and region across Canada. The figures and programs described here are for general guidance. Always confirm current details with your local municipality or waste authority before you act.
What are the best ways to dispose of an old mattress?
There are five realistic ways to get rid of an old mattress in Canada, and the best one depends on your city, your budget, and whether you can transport it yourself. Here they are, from cheapest to most convenient.
1. Municipal bulky-waste or curbside pickup
Many Canadian cities collect mattresses at the curb as bulky or oversized items, and in the cities that do, it is usually the cheapest option. Toronto collects mattresses on the regular garbage day with no per-item charge, Ottawa collects them on garbage day within its three-item garbage limit, and Montreal boroughs run free bulky-item collections on a borough schedule. Calgary and Edmonton, by contrast, do not collect mattresses at the curb at all, so residents there use drop-off facilities instead. Availability is the single biggest difference between cities, which is why the first step is always your own city's waste website.
2. Transfer station or drop-off depot
If you can transport the mattress yourself, a municipal transfer station, landfill, or depot will take it for a modest fee. As of August 2026 the published rates in the major cities run from $19 per mattress at Edmonton's Eco Stations and $20 per unit at Vancouver's facilities to a flat $25 per load under 250 kg at Calgary's landfills, and Montreal's ecocentres take mattresses from residents at no charge. The catch is transport: a queen does not fit in most cars, so many people borrow or rent a van for the trip.
3. Mattress recycling program
Some regions have dedicated mattress recycling that breaks the mattress into its component materials, steel, foam, wood, and fabric, and diverts them from landfill. Canada has no national program, and access is genuinely uneven: Vancouver's $20 drop-off fee is a recycling fee, meaning the mattresses collected there are dismantled rather than buried, Montreal recycles mattresses at its Saint-Laurent ecocentre as a pilot, and private recyclers such as Re-Matt in Calgary accept mattresses for a per-unit fee. British Columbia planned to add mattresses to its provincial Recycling Regulation, which would make producers responsible for take-back, but that change was postponed, so regional fees still apply there. Where a genuine program exists near you, it is the most environmentally responsible option.
4. Retailer haul-away with a new mattress
Many mattress retailers will remove your old mattress when they deliver a new one, sometimes free and sometimes for a fee, and this is often the easiest option if you are replacing the bed anyway. Terms differ by retailer, so ask before you buy. If you have not chosen a replacement yet, it is worth comparing options first, and you can see the Hamuq mattresses here, because delivery and old-mattress removal are usually easiest to arrange in the same booking.
5. Junk-removal service
Junk-removal companies will collect a mattress from inside your home for a fee, which makes this the most convenient and the most expensive option. Published operator pricing in major Canadian cities commonly runs from about $80 to $250 for a single mattress as of 2026, depending on the city, building access, and whether disposal fees are included in the quote. It is the go-to when you cannot transport the mattress and your city does not offer pickup, which is exactly the Calgary and Edmonton apartment scenario.
| Option | Typical cost, August 2026 | Convenience | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal pickup | Free where offered (Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal) | Medium, follow set-out rules | Cities that offer it |
| Transfer station or depot | $19 to $25 per unit or load; free at Montreal ecocentres | Low, you transport it | Budget, have a vehicle |
| Recycling program | About $20 per unit where offered | Medium, regional | Eco-conscious, where available |
| Retailer haul-away | Free to a fee, ask the retailer | High, done on delivery | Replacing the mattress |
| Junk removal | About $80 to $250 per mattress | Highest, they collect indoors | No transport, no pickup |
Can an old mattress actually be recycled?
Yes, mattresses are highly recyclable, which surprises many people. A typical mattress is around 75 to 90 per cent recyclable by weight: the steel springs can be melted down, the foam can be repurposed, the wood frame can be chipped, and the fabric and fibre can be reused. The problem is not the material; it is access to a facility that actually does it.
The honest catch is that recycling availability is uneven across Canada, and there is no national program. British Columbia's plan to add mattresses to its provincial Recycling Regulation, which would have made producers responsible for take-back, has been postponed, so even in the province closest to a system, drop-off fees still fund the recycling. What exists today is a patchwork: Vancouver's facilities dismantle the mattresses they collect, Montreal runs a recycling pilot at one ecocentre, Edmonton contracts recycling of Eco Station mattresses, and private recyclers operate in several cities. A mattress is bulky, mostly air, and hard to compact, which is why one BC regional district calculated that its landfilled mattresses would have consumed over a million dollars of landfill airspace in a single year. Where a genuine program exists near you, it is worth the trip.
What are the mattress disposal costs in Canada?
Cost is the part people most want to know, so here are the published figures as of August 2026. Curbside collection is free where it exists: Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal all collect mattresses at no per-item charge. Drop-off runs $19 per mattress at Edmonton's Eco Stations, $20 per unit at Vancouver's landfill and transfer station, and a flat $25 per load under 250 kg at Calgary's facilities, while Montreal's ecocentres take them free from residents. Junk removal is the premium option at roughly $80 to $250 per mattress depending on the city and access. Every one of those figures can change at the next municipal budget, so confirm the current rate before you load the van.
A note on the figures
Mattress disposal fees change and vary widely by municipality, and quoting a stale number helps no one. Before you plan, look up the current fee on your own city or region's waste-collection website. This is the one part of the process where local, up-to-date information beats any general guide.
Mattress disposal city by city in Canada
Because rules differ widely between municipalities, here is where the six largest cities stand as of August 2026, each verified against the official municipal source linked in the section. Rules and fees change, so treat the link, not this page, as the final word.
Toronto: free curbside on garbage day
Toronto collects mattresses as oversized items on your regular garbage collection day, with no per-item charge; the service is funded by an annual oversized-items fee that already appears on every household's utility bill. Set the mattress at the curb by 7 am on your garbage day, and do not wrap it in plastic unless it has bed bugs, in which case a fully sealed wrap is required. This applies to houses; apartment and condo buildings handle bulky items through their own building process. Details are on the City of Toronto oversized items page.
Vancouver: $20 recycling fee at drop-off
Vancouver has no curbside mattress collection; residents take mattresses and box springs to the Vancouver Landfill or the Vancouver South Transfer Station for a recycling fee of $20 per unit as of 2026, up from $15 the year before. The landfill accepts a maximum of 4 mattresses per customer per day, a limit in place since June 2025, and mattresses with bed bugs are accepted if fully wrapped in plastic and labelled. The fee funds actual recycling rather than burial. Details are on the City of Vancouver mattress recycling page.
Montreal: free borough collections and ecocentres
Montreal boroughs run free bulky-item collections that include mattresses and box springs, on a schedule you look up by address through the city's Info-Collectes tool, and residents can also bring mattresses to any of the city's ecocentres at no charge. One honest nuance: most ecocentres landfill the upholstered items they receive, and only the Saint-Laurent ecocentre currently recycles mattresses, as a pilot project. If you suspect bed bugs, wrap the mattress before setting it out. Details are on the Ville de Montreal bulky objects page.
Calgary: drop-off only, $25 flat per load
Calgary does not collect mattresses at the curb. Residents take them to one of the three City landfill and Eco Centre sites, Shepard, East Calgary, or Spyhill, where charges apply: loads under 250 kg pay a flat $25, which covers a typical mattress trip. A private recycler, Re-Matt, also accepts mattresses in Calgary for a per-unit fee and dismantles them for material recovery. Details are on the City of Calgary mattress page.
Ottawa: curbside, within the three-item limit
Ottawa collects mattresses at the curb on your regular garbage day; set the item out by 7 am. The catch is the city's three-item garbage limit, in place since September 2024: a mattress counts as one of your three garbage items for that collection, and bulky items must not be bagged or they will be left with a courtesy tag. A mattress and box spring together count as two items. Details are on the City of Ottawa special items page.
Edmonton: $19 at Eco Stations, free at Big Bin Events
Edmonton has no curbside mattress collection. Mattresses and box springs go to a City Eco Station for $19 per item as of the current fee schedule, and the mattresses collected are contracted out for recycling rather than landfilled. The free alternative is a seasonal Big Bin Event, which accepts mattresses at no charge on scheduled weekends through summer and fall. Note that the Coronation Eco Station is closed for construction, leaving three open locations. Details are on the City of Edmonton Eco Station fees page.
The safest, most current answer for any city is its official waste-collection website, searched for "mattress disposal" plus your municipality. Municipal programs update their rules and fees regularly.
Can you donate an old mattress?
Sometimes, but it is harder than people expect. Many charities will not accept used mattresses because of hygiene and bedbug concerns, and a mattress usually has to be in genuinely good, clean, undamaged condition to be considered. If your mattress is old, stained, or sagging, donation is generally not an option, and disposal or recycling is the route.
If the mattress is still in good shape, some charities, shelters, or reuse organisations may take it, so it is worth a call before you assume. Do not simply leave a mattress outside a donation bin, which usually counts as illegal dumping. Confirm acceptance first, and be honest about the mattress's condition.
Getting rid of a mattress from an apartment or condo
Apartment and condo living add their own hurdles, and this is a common frustration. Many buildings do not allow mattresses in the garbage or recycling rooms, and moving a heavy queen or king mattress down elevators and out of the building is a job in itself. The building's waste rules usually do not accept a mattress, so a booked pickup or a junk-removal service is often the practical option.
Before you wrestle it downstairs, check with your building management about how bulky items are handled, and whether the city offers a booked pickup for your address. Planning the logistics, including elevator booking if your building requires it, saves a lot of grief on the day.
What not to do
A few things to avoid, because they cause real problems. Do not dump a mattress in an alley, a park, or beside a bin, illegal dumping carries fines and the mattress usually gets traced back. Do not leave it at a donation site that has not agreed to accept it; that is the same thing. And be wary of unofficial "free pickup" ads that may dump the mattress somewhere, leaving you potentially liable.
- Do not illegally dump it. Alleys, parks, and roadsides carry fines, and mattresses are easy to trace to the source.
- Do not abandon it at a donation bin. If a charity has not agreed to take it, leaving it there counts as dumping.
- Be cautious with informal free-pickup ads. Some dump the mattress illegally, which can come back on you. Prefer known services.
- Do not assume your city picks it up. Many do not collect mattresses without a booking or fee. Check first.
When it is simply time to replace
If you are disposing of a mattress because it is sagging, worn, or years past its best, it may be time for a new one rather than another fix. A mattress that has lost its support is a replacement question, which we cover in our guide on a topper versus a new mattress. When you are ready to compare options, our guide to the best mattress in Canada is a starting point, and buying a new mattress is also the easiest time to arrange haul-away of the old one.
Hamuq makes two mattresses, both hybrids. The Made in Canada Hybrid pairs comfort foam with a pocketed coil support core, and the Organic Hybrid uses certified organic latex over coils for a more responsive feel. If you are not sure which one fits your sleep position and budget, compare both mattresses side by side.
See a replacement mattress in action
One logistical contrast worth knowing before you plan the swap: the old mattress leaves your home full size, which is the whole disposal problem this page solves, but a modern replacement arrives compressed in a box you can carry alone. These short clips show what that looks like with a Hamuq hybrid, from the box to the fully expanded bed, and they are additive only: every disposal fact on this page is in the sections above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get rid of an old mattress in Canada?
Your main options are municipal bulky-waste pickup, dropping it at a transfer station or recycling depot yourself, using a mattress recycling program where available, arranging retailer haul-away when buying a new mattress, or hiring a junk-removal service. Which is best depends on your city, budget, and whether you can transport it. Check your municipality's waste website for local rules and fees.
Can you recycle a mattress in Canada?
Yes, mattresses are highly recyclable, often 75 to 90 per cent by weight, with the steel, foam, wood, and fabric all reusable. The limitation is access, since dedicated mattress recycling exists in some regions but not others. Where a genuine program is available, it is the most responsible choice; check whether your province or municipality offers one.
Is mattress disposal free in Canada?
Sometimes, but often not. Some cities include mattresses in free bulky-item collection with limits, while many charge a per-item fee for pickup or drop-off, and junk removal always costs more for the convenience. Fees vary widely by municipality, so the only reliable way to find out is to check your local waste authority's current rates.
Will the city pick up my old mattress?
It depends on the city. Many Canadian municipalities offer bulky-item or large-item collection services that include mattresses, sometimes on scheduled days, sometimes by booking, and sometimes for a fee. Others do not collect mattresses curbside at all. Look up your city's bulky-waste rules to confirm whether pickup is available for your address.
Can I donate a used mattress?
Only if it is in genuinely good, clean, undamaged condition, and even then, many charities decline used mattresses due to hygiene and bedbug concerns. If your mattress is old, stained, or sagging, donation is generally not possible, and disposal or recycling is the only option. Always confirm a charity will accept it before dropping it off.
If donation is off the table and you are shopping for a replacement, our firmness guide by sleep position and body weight is a useful next step, or you can go straight to the Hamuq mattress collection.
How do I dispose of a mattress from an apartment?
Many buildings do not allow mattresses in garbage or recycling rooms, so a booked municipal pickup or a junk-removal service is usually the practical answer. Check with building management about how bulky items are handled and whether elevator reservations are required. Moving a heavy mattress out of a condo is a job to plan, not improvise.
The bottom line
Disposing of a mattress in Canada comes down to five options: municipal pickup, transfer station, recycling program, retailer haul-away, or junk removal, and the right one depends on your city, budget, and whether you can transport it. Mattresses are highly recyclable, so use a recycling program where one exists, and never resort to illegal dumping. Because fees and rules change and vary by municipality, always confirm the current details with your local waste authority before you act.
Jordan Bedwell, Co-Founder, Hamuq Inc Jordan compiled this guide from Canadian municipal waste practices and program structures. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Reviewed by Nathan Nielson, Hamuq leadership Nathan reviewed the disposal options, program descriptions and cautions on this page in August 2026. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Related reading
- Mattress topper vs a new mattress: which fixes the problem?
- The best mattress in Canada
- Mattress firmness by sleep position and body weight
Sources and references
- City of Toronto. Oversized and Metal Items collection, retrieved 4 August 2026.
- City of Vancouver. Recycle your mattress and Vancouver Landfill and Zero Waste Centre, 2026 rates effective 2 January 2026, retrieved 4 August 2026.
- Ville de Montreal. Bulky objects and construction materials and Take items to an ecocentre, retrieved 4 August 2026.
- City of Calgary. Mattresses and Landfill and Eco Centre residential rates, retrieved 4 August 2026.
- City of Ottawa. Special items and Garbage and the three-item limit, retrieved 4 August 2026.
- City of Edmonton. Eco Station accepted items and fees and Big Bin Events, retrieved 4 August 2026.
- Thompson-Nicola Regional District. Mattress disposal fees updated in response to delay in provincial take-back program, 2026, confirming the postponement of mattresses in BC's Recycling Regulation.
Last reviewed August 2026. Municipal rules change, so verify current details locally. This article is general information about waste disposal and is not legal advice.