The Town of Canmore, Alberta, is hosting its 6th Annual Community Compost Giveaway on May 12 and 13, 2026, offering residents free compost as a reward for their ongoing efforts to keep food scraps out of local landfills.
The event will take place at the back lot of the Canmore Recreation Centre from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both days. To participate, residents must register in advance and select a 15-minute pickup window. Each household is eligible to receive up to 100 litres of finished compost while supplies last.
Because this is a shovel-it-yourself event, the town reminds residents to arrive prepared with their own containers and shovels. Staff will not be available to assist with the physical loading of the compost.
This initiative supports the town’s broader goal of reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills. Because Canmore is located in important wildlife habitat, backyard composting is restricted to avoid attracting bears and other animals. Instead, the town utilizes 23 animal-proof bins throughout the community, with contents transported to a facility in the Calgary area for processing.
Residents interested in participating in the year-round food waste program can pick up free kitchen collection containers at the Civic Centre or at Public Works. Currently, about one-third of the town’s landfill waste still consists of food scraps, and officials are working toward long-term diversion targets.
