The City of Medicine Hat in Alberta has released the official 2026 residential waste collection calendar and zone map. This resource helps approximately 66,000 residents identify their specific pickup days for garbage, recycling, and yard waste so service is not missed during the year.
Circular Materials, a national not-for-profit, now manages the city’s blue-cart residential recycling program under Alberta’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. The local transition to Circular Materials began April 1, 2025, making 2026 the first full producers-pay year. Under the EPR system — which shifts recycling costs to producers of packaging and paper products — residents are estimated to save about $100 a year on their utility bills.
The City will remain the primary point of contact for grey garbage carts and the seasonal green yard-waste carts. According to the City’s “Neat to Know” announcement, seasonal green-cart collection for grass and branches runs April 6, 2026, to November 20, 2026. (The 2026 green-cart program is limited to yard waste and does not include food scraps.)
Circular Materials manages the program overall, while GFL Environmental continues as the local contractor that physically collects blue recycling carts. Residents can view their specific collection schedule on the City of Medicine Hat website, the Recycle Coach app, or the Circular Materials site, and should consult those resources for holiday-service changes and the appropriate customer service contact.
