It’s that special time of year for live Christmas tree owners in Metro Vancouver.
The needles are dry and falling off, and the ornaments are all packed away. But what to do with the tree?
Most municipalities offer some form of curbside pickup, and virtually all of them accept drop-offs at a central recycling facility.
Alternately, there are many charity tree chipping events set up around the region in the coming weeks. Most accept cash donations, while some also collect food for the food bank.
Regardless of how you dispose of your tree, it should be free of tinsel, ornaments, artificial snow or anything else that might interfere with the composting process.
Here is a roundup of where to take your tree for disposal in 2018.
Vancouver
Vancouver offers curbside pickup on the weekend of Jan. 13 and 14. Trees must be set out by 7 a.m. on Saturday, and laid on their side.
You can also take your tree to the Vancouver transfer station at 77 W. Kent Ave. N.
Or, you can take your tree to one many charity chipping events:
- Jan. 7: Lions Club. Kerrisdale Community Ice Rink parking lot, 5670 E. Blvd., north of 41st Ave.. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Jan. 7: Lions Club. Kitsilano Beach parking lot, Cornwall Ave. and Arbutus St. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Jan. 7: Lions Club. Sunset Beach upper parking lot, Beach Ave. and Broughton St. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Jan. 7: Lions Club. Trout Lake Community Centre parking lot, 3360 Victoria Dr., south of E. 12th Ave.. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Until Jan. 8: UBC Botanical Garden. 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Jan 7: Mount Pleasant BIA. Tree Chipping for the Kids. Kingsgate Mall, 370 E. Broadway, Upper East Parking Lot. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Jan 13: Little Mountain Neighborhood House. Riley Park 50 E. 30th Ave. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Surrey
Surrey engineering crews will pick up trees curbside, provided they are cut into pieces three feet or shorter, bundled together and placed in your organics cart.
You can also drop your tree off at the Surrey transfer station at 9770 192 St.
Or you can take your tree to one of several charity chipping events on Jan. 6.
- Surrey firefighters tree chip: Newton Athletic Park, 7395 128 St. 9 a.m to 4 p.m.
- Surrey firefighters tree chip: Guildford Town Centre – 105 Ave. & 150 St. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Tree chipping and bottle drive for youth: Emmanuel Covenant Church, 17029 16 Ave. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Coquitlam
Coquitlam offers curbside pickup for trees cut into one-metre lengths and placed in your green bin.
Whole trees can be dropped at the Coquitlam transfer station at 1200 United Blvd.
And you can chip your tree for charity on Saturday, Jan. 6. The event is run by the Kinsmen Club, and takes place in parking lot “B” of the Town Centre Park from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Burnaby
For curbside pickup in Burnaby, trees should be placed outside by Jan. 15. City crews will pick up trees in the two weeks from the 15th to the 26th. Trees five feet tall or longer must be cut in half.
If you live in a multi-family building that gets waste pickup from the city, you must have your tree out in an accessible location by Jan. 8. Trees will be picked up during the following week.
Live trees can also be dropped off at the Burnaby Eco-Centre at 4855 Still Creek Dr.
Richmond
The City of Richmond offers curbside tree pickup on your regular collection day. Trees should be cut into three-foot lengths and put into bundles with a maximum diameter of two feet.
You can also take your tree to the City of Richmond’s recycling depot at 5555 Lynas Lane between 9 a.m. and 6:15 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday.
Alternately, you can drop your tree at Ecowaste Industries at 15111 Williams Rd.
The Richmond Fire Department also runs a charity chipping event on Jan. 6 and 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event takes place at Garry Point Park at the corner of 7th Avenue and Chatham Street.
North Vancouver
The City of North Vancouver offers curbside pickup for trees cut into three-foot lengths and bundled with natural string or twine. Do not place them in your green bin.
The District of North Vancouver also offers curbside pickup. However, trees here must be cut into small pieces and placed in your green bin.
You can also take your tree to the North Vancouver transfer station at 30 Riverside Dr. where a tipping fee applies.
There are also a number of charity chipping events in North Vancouver:
- Jan 1 to 7: Ambleside Tiddly Cove Lions Club Chip Up. Entrance to Ambleside Park. Jan. 1 to 5, noon to 4 p.m., Jan. 6 to 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Jan. 6: City of North Vancouver Fire Department Chipping. RONA Store Parking Lot, 1160 E. 3rd St. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Jan 6: Montroyal Elementary Christmas Tree Chipping. 5310 Sonora Dr. 10 a.m.to 3 p.m.
- Jan 6 to 7: Upper Lonsdale Preschool Tree Chip. District Hall parking lot– 355 W. Queens Rd. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Jan 6 to 7: North Shore Rescue Chip Up for Charity. Westview Shopping Centre Parking Lot. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Jan 6 to 7: West Vancouver Scouts. Grand Blvd. and 13th St. (Ray Perrault Park). 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
West Vancouver
West Vancouver offers curbside pickup for trees cut into three-foot pieces. Bundles can be 1 metre by x 30 centimetres or put into your green bin.
You can also make the trip to the North Vancouver transfer station at 30 Riverside Dr. where a tipping fee applies.
Or you can take your tree to one of two charity chipping events:
- Jan 6 to 7: West Vancouver Scouts. Grand Blvd. and 13th St. (Ray Perrault Park). 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Jan 1 to 7: Ambleside Tiddly Cove Lions Club Chip-Up. Entrance to Ambleside Park. Jan 1 to 5, noon to 4 p.m., Jan 6-7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Delta
The City of Delta offers curbside collection on regular collection days for trees that have been cut in half.
You can also drop your tree at the Enviro-Smarts Organics composting facility at 4295 72 St. in Ladner.
The Delta Lions Club is also operating several charity chipping events from Jan. 6 to 7:
- Memorial Park, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- South Delta Recreation Centre, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (SDSS Dry Grad committee is also hosting a bottle drive at this event)
- Sungod Recreation Centre, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
New Westminster
New Westminster will pick up your live tree provided you can break it down into small enough pieces to fit in your green bin.
You can also take it to the New West recycling depot at 96 E. 6 St.
Or you can take it to a charity chipping event run by the New West Firefighters. The event runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Jan. 6 and 7 at the Canada Games Pool parking lot, E. 6 Ave. and McBride Blvd.
Port Moody
The City of Port Moody does not offer Christmas tree recycling services.
However, you can bring your tree to a charity chipping event that runs from Jan. 6-7 at the Inlet Centre Fire Hall at 150 Newport Dr. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event is run by the Port Moody Firefighters Local 2399 and collects money for the BC Professional Fire Fighter’s Burn Fund.
Port Coquitlam
Port Coquitlam offers curbside tree pick-up, so long as your tree is cut into pieces small enough to fit in your green bin.
There are also two charity chipping events in the city:
- Jan. 2-Jan. 28: Art Knapp Plantland & Florist 1300 Dominion Avenue. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Proceeds to juvenile diabetes research.
- Jan. 6-7: Port Coquitlam firefighters chipping event. 1725 Broadway Street. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Langley
Both the City of Langley and the Township of Langley offer curbside pickup on regular collection days. Trees must be cut in half and bundled, and must be less than a metre in length and a half-metre wide.
You can also take your tree to the Langley transfer station at 1070 – 272 Ave., where yard waste tipping fees apply.
Or you can go to one of many charity chipping events:
- Jan. 6: Willoughby Scouts chipping event. Willoughby Elementary, 20766– 80 Ave. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Jan. 6 & 13: 1st Walnut Grove Scout Group chipping event. Walnut Grove Secondary School parking lot, 8919 Walnut Grove Dr. Jan. 6: 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Jan. 13: 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Jan 6: 10th Langley Scouts chipping event. Safeway at Fraser Hwy and Langley Bypass. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Jan. 6 & 13: Fields Tree Service. Derek Doubleday Arboretum– off of Fraser Hwy. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Proceeds to the BC Cancer Foundation.
- Jan 6. & 7: 2nd Brookswood Scouts. Brookswood Secondary, 20902 37A, or George Preston Rec Centre Parking Lot, 20699 42nd Ave. 9 a.m-4 p.m.
- Jan 6 & 7: Casey Duncan/Macdonald Realty. Walnut Grove & Willoughby. Will also pick up. Call 778-847-7653 for details. Proceeds to the BC Cancer Foundation.
- Jan 6: 2nd Langley Mavericks. Buckley Park, 19680 48 Ave. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Jan 6 & 7: Brian Thornburn and Ride2Survive. Willowbrook Mall parking lot. 9 a.m-5 p.m.
White Rock
White Rock offers curbside pickup as long as your tree can be broken down and fits into a green bin.
Alternately, you can take it to the City of White Rock Fire Department Tree Chipping event at the Centennial Park Arena, 14600 North Bluff Rd. The event runs on Jan. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds go to several local charities.
Maple Ridge
You have two options to dispose of a live tree in Maple Ridge.
You can take it to the Maple Ridge transfer station at 10092 236 Street, where a yard waste tipping fee applies.
Or you can take it to a charity chipping event run by Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue. The event takes place on Jan. 6-7 and Jan. 13-14, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Take trees to the Search and Rescue Building, 23598 105 Ave.
Pitt Meadows
Pitt Meadows residents can make the trip to the Maple Ridge transfer station at 10092 236 St., where a yard waste tipping fee applies.
Alternately, you can take your tree to a Lions Club and Girl Guides charity chipping event at Meadows Landscape Supply on Jan. 6-7. The event runs from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 18020 Kennedy Rd.
Lions Bay
In Lions Bay, take your live tree to the Village Drop-off Site at the far end of the CN lot on Lions Bay Ave. until Jan. 10.
Belcarra and Anmore
Anmore is not running a chipping event this year, and asks residents to contact the Village for disposal options.
Trees can be dropped off at the Belcarra Recycle and Refuse Facility on Bedwell Bay Rd. Residents should check with the Village for details.