Illegal dumping complaints in Toronto pile up as enforcement falls: investigation
Complaints of trash illegally dumped on Toronto streets have doubled as city enforcement has plummeted -- a recipe, some residents say, for smelly and unsightly garbage to litter neighbourhoods.
Urgent pandemic needs pushed the city to re-task workers away from illegal dumping investigations, city staff say, and they haven’t returned, exasperating Toronto residents like Jeff Green, who has been photographing an informal dump site that hasn’t gone away for months.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“No one wants that. No one likes seeing a pile of garbage around their house,” Green said in an interview next to a pile of carpets, cardboard and Styrofoam immediately underneath a City of Toronto sign that warned of fines and punishments.
“The garbage piles have been everything from bicycles to furniture to mattresses to the most disgusting things you can imagine,” Green said.
His photos show splintered wood, rubber tires, cardboard, clothing, and bags repeatedly piled next to a tree at Garrett Boulevard and Wilson Avenue. The city put up a sign in response to his complaints, but he says the garbage kept coming. And another resident made their own sign.
Jeff Green holds up a piece of garbage near an illegal dumping site in Toronto in this undated image.
City figures show complaints of trash dumped on public roadways was about just over 300 per year in 2018. Since then, it’s been on a steady increase, now more than doubled to about 750 so far this year.
But when it comes to enforcement, charges for illegal dumping have plummeted. There were 22 charges laid for illegal dumping on public property in 2018 -- that’s down to just one each year for the past two years.
City staff said in an email that it takes time and resources to track illegal dumpers down, and didn’t take priority when city staff were also tracking compliance of a whole new suite of health-related rules.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were times when enforcement resources had to be directed to urgent pandemic enforcement efforts,” a city spokesperson said.
This graph shows the number of illegal dumping complaints received by the City of Toronto per year.
CTV News decided to put a hidden camera to watch a known dump site, with a resident’s permission. In the week we watched, no one seemed to add to or take away from the pile.
So we took a look at the packaging in the waste pile -- to find something else left behind -- packaging, with an address.
We followed the address to a nearby apartment. A woman who lives there told us she never received the package -- and suspected that it was stolen and the packaging dumped nearby.
Toronto Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, who chairs the city’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee, said the figures are concerning -- and worth bringing up at city council.
“We did redeploy in many different areas in the pandemic. We’re looking at bringing them back, returning to normal service levels,” she said.
When the city parks were inundated with trash, city staff did repurpose their time and the city picked up more than 250 tons of garbage, she said.
“It is a big problem and has a big scope,” she said, adding that city staff would get a request to clear up what their plan is to deal with the citywide trend. “I think we have to ask city staff to dig deeper.”
A pile of trash is seen at an illegal dumping site in Toronto in this undated image.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.