Home improvements are stressful enough without struggling to manage to dispose of appliances that your home has outgrown. Luckily, Canada has a robust recycling program supported throughout each province and there are several community-supported upcycling services available for your electronic waste, your cabinetry or any other trash as a result of your reno. We’ve listed a few options to cover your bases throughout the country.
Alberta
Alberta residents can take their large household gadgets to their nearest landfill where the staff will ensure the items are properly recycled. Other private sector companies offer to buy used appliances off of homeowners. Alberta’s Recycling Hotline lists 10 locations that this program services throughout the province.
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British Columbia
Any large electronic devices or old furniture can be taken to a drop-off location listed on the Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable website. Additionally, British Columbia’s ElectroRecycle program offers more than 250 drop-off locations across the province for your small appliances and power tools.
Look up your city for specifics on your municipality. In BC, there are almost 150 outlets available to accept your outdated home hardware.
Manitoba
Manitoba has a program that allows you to recycle appliances through a service that will come to your home, retrieve your old fridge or stove and responsibly tend to its disposal. In addition to the convenience, they will compensate you for each appliance you choose to recycle through the service.
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New Brunswick
New Brunswick has just over two dozen transfer stations throughout the province where you can take any unwanted electronics when you’re in the middle (or at the tail end) of your home upgrade. These vary from landfills to bottle exchanges and thrift stores: you can find out what resources are available in your city by checking out Recycle My Electronics‘s website.
Newfoundland and Labrador
According to Rethink Waste, Newfoundland and Labrador have a range of options dependent on your location within the province. Residents of both Northern and Southern Labrador can list their appliances on online marketplaces or dispose of defunct appliances with a private waste management service. Western Labrador has a regional landfill site. Central Labradorians can visit the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay to recycle their household appliances. The Northern Peninsula has four landfills that service residents according to their subregions.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia has a handy regional service called Efficiency Nova Scotia. They’re an energy efficiency company that helps families upgrade as easy as possible to greener appliances. They will come free of charge to retire old electronic appliances. Just make sure there’s a clear pathway for their staff to haul out the items in question.
Northwest Territories
Over a dozen recycling depots in the NWT accept old appliances. You can see a complete list here.
Ontario
Ontario is a tricky province to navigate in terms of having the municipality come and collect your appliances curbside. Aside from taking it to your nearest drop-off depot, your best bet is to give your appliance a second life if it’s still in working condition and take it to your local Home Depot, Home Hardware or Lion’s Club.
Prince Edward Island
This province has several Waste Watch Dropoff Centres where trained staff will supervise your disposal of your appliances. There are sites in Brockton, Wellington, Dingwells Mills, Summerside, Charlottetown and New London.
Quebec
The Renaissance Donation Centres handle all the responsible disposal of appliances for the province of Quebec. Contact one in your town or municipality to find out how to prep your electronics for collection and disposal.
Saskatchewan
In Saskatchewan, London Drugs will accept small appliances like microwaves and kettles for recycle, while municipal waste services like landfills handle the larger household items.
Yukon
You can take your fridges, stoves and cabinetry to Raven Recycling or visit your nearest waste management depot if you happen to live outside the province’s capital.
Arrange a Curbside Pickup
You can also try calling your municipal waste pickup service to arrange a curbside collection. Call your city’s information line for more details.
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Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity has locations available in every province and take any donations from your renovations to go towards homebuilding projects to support low-income families.
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List Your Appliances Online
You can also list your donations online in the free for pickup section on sites like Craigslist, Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace.
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