Published 2026-10-09 · Ride On Rentals, Delta BC
Current tipping fees at Metro Vancouver transfer stations, what a typical dump trailer load costs, and the surcharges and banned materials that catch people out.
You have filled the dump trailer. Now the question is what it will cost to empty it. Metro Vancouver changed its garbage and recycling fees on July 1, 2026, and the numbers floating around on junk-removal blogs are mostly out of date. This guide uses the regional district's current fee sheet and its Disposal Ban Program rules to explain Metro Vancouver dump fees for a typical trailer load, with worked examples and the surcharges that catch people out.
These are from Metro Vancouver's 2026 Garbage and Recycling Fees notice, effective July 1, 2026, at Metro Vancouver solid waste facilities. The notice says the fees include the generator levy and disposal rate, and that the bylaw prevails if anything conflicts.
| Type of load | Fee |
|---|---|
| Garbage, under 1 tonne | $182/tonne, up to a maximum of $167 per load |
| Garbage, 1 to 7.99 tonnes | $162/tonne, up to a maximum of $1,093 per load |
| Construction and demolition processing residual waste | $194/tonne |
| Transaction fee | $5 per load |
| Peak hours minimum (10 am to 2 pm weekdays) | $25 per load |
| Non-peak minimum | $15 per load |
| Yard trimmings / clean wood | $139/tonne, minimum $10 per load |
| Used gypsum (drywall) | $210/tonne, minimum $15 per load |
| New gypsum | $158/tonne, minimum $15 per load |
| Mattresses / box springs | $20 each, maximum 4 units |
| Special handle waste | $310/tonne, minimum $55 per load |
The notice also says minimum and maximum fees include the transaction fee where it applies. Fees are charged by weight, so your trailer crosses a scale on the way in and again on the way out.
These are arithmetic examples using the rates above, not quotes. Your scale ticket is what counts. We have added the $5 transaction fee on top of the tonnage charge, which is how the fee sheet's footnotes read. The minimums and the under-1-tonne cap already include it.
| Load | Calculation | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| 50 kg of garbage, Saturday | 0.05 t × $182 = $9.10 + $5 = $14.10, below the minimum | $15 (non-peak minimum) |
| 50 kg of garbage, Tuesday at noon | Same load, inside peak hours | $25 (peak minimum) |
| 600 kg of garbage | 0.6 t × $182 = $109.20 + $5 | $114.20 |
| 950 kg of garbage | 0.95 t × $182 = $172.90 + $5, over the cap | $167 (under-1-tonne maximum) |
| 1.4 tonnes of garbage | 1.4 t × $162 = $226.80 + $5 | $231.80 |
| 400 kg of yard trimmings | 0.4 t × $139 | $55.60, plus the transaction fee if it applies |
Because small garbage loads are capped at $167, a load just under a tonne costs the same as one a little lighter. Once you cross 1 tonne the rate drops to $162 per tonne, but there is no cap until $1,093. If you are near the line, don't throw in one more wheelbarrow of rubble just because "it's capped". It may push you into the next band.
Peak hours are 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on weekdays, excluding statutory holidays. The peak minimum does not apply at the Central Surrey, Langley and Maple Ridge recycling and waste centres or the Waste-to-Energy Facility. For a small load, that is the difference between a $15 and a $25 minimum. For a full trailer the minimum doesn't matter, but the lineup does. Metro Vancouver posts lineup cameras on its facility pages, and you can sign up for closure alerts by texting JOIN to 778-655-9200.
An unsecured load, meaning one that is not tied and covered or otherwise secured, carries a surcharge of 50% of the applicable tipping fee, to a maximum of $50, under the Metro Vancouver tipping fee bylaw. That is in Schedule B of GVS&DD Bylaw 393. A tarp and a few straps cost less than the surcharge. Our guide on tarping and securing loads shows how.
Inspectors at the scale and on the tipping floor look for materials that should not be in garbage. Under the Disposal Ban Program:
On the 600 kg example above, a 50% surcharge adds another $54.60. That is why sorting matters.
The Disposal Ban Program Manual lists materials prohibited from garbage. These are the ones that matter most for dump trailer users:
Metro Vancouver lists these recycling and waste facilities:
The Vancouver Landfill and the Vancouver transfer station are run by the City of Vancouver, which publishes its own rates, so check the city's page before you go. Check vehicle limits too. The United Boulevard visitor guide, for example, lists a maximum vehicle-and-trailer length of 9.1 m (30 ft) and a maximum GVWR of 7,500 kg. Metro Vancouver's North Surrey page says payment is by Visa, MasterCard, debit, Apple Pay or cash, and that the fees are not subject to GST.
The biggest savings come from how you load the trailer, not where you take it. Usually, yes. Yard trimmings and clean wood are $139 per tonne, compared with $182 per tonne for small garbage loads. Mixing them into garbage can also trigger a 50% surcharge on the entire load, because both are banned recyclable materials. Keep cardboard flat and separate, since it is free to recycle at the depots. Keep drywall in its own pile and bag the dust.
If you load in layers, with recyclables you will drop first at the back and garbage at the front, you can unload in stages without digging. Our guides on sorting yard waste, what renovation debris goes in a dump trailer and how to load a dump trailer go through it step by step. Planning a reno cleanup? Start with our renovation debris trailer page, then call (604) 767-7977 to check availability.
At Metro Vancouver facilities, garbage under 1 tonne is charged at $182 per tonne, up to a maximum of $167 per load. Loads from 1 to 7.99 tonnes are $162 per tonne. A $5 transaction fee applies to each load, and there is a minimum charge of $15 per load, or $25 during weekday peak hours.
Peak hours are 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on weekdays, excluding statutory holidays. The peak minimum does not apply at the Central Surrey, Langley and Maple Ridge recycling and waste centres or the Waste-to-Energy Facility.
No, not in any real quantity. Metro Vancouver's Disposal Ban Program lists inert fill, including soil, sod, gravel, concrete and asphalt, as prohibited in garbage loads when it exceeds 0.5 cubic metres per load.
An unsecured load, meaning one that is not tied and covered or otherwise secured, carries a surcharge of 50% of the applicable tipping fee, to a maximum of $50, under the Metro Vancouver tipping fee bylaw.
Usually, yes. Yard trimmings and clean wood are $139 per tonne, compared with $182 per tonne for small garbage loads. Mixing them into garbage can also trigger a 50% surcharge on the entire load, because both are banned recyclable materials.
Fees from Metro Vancouver's July 1, 2026 notice and Bylaw 393. Rates change, usually in January or July, so check metrovancouver.org ("tipping fees") before a big run.
Questions about a rental trailer? Call Ride On Rentals at (604) 767-7977 or email [email protected].