Nineteen temporary dump sites are up and running in Toronto, which residents can use to get rid of garbage that has been piling up at their homes during the city's five-day-old municipal strike.

The city opened the majority of the temporary sites yesterday, where residents are can dump their trash for free as long as it is double-bagged.

All of the sites were open on Friday morning. They can be accessed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

The sites have caused controversy with residents who do not want to see garbage dumped in and around city green spaces.

Outside of Ted Reeve Arena on Friday, some residents told CTV Toronto they were unimpressed with the city's choice for a temporary dump.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw it ... I thought this is impossible in Canada," said one parent who spoke to CTV Toronto.

And at Wishing Well Park, near Pharmacy Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East, some union members picketed the temporary dumping site.

Canadian Union of Public Employees Ontario president Sid Ryan has said the temporary dumps are signals that Toronto is "digging in for a long strike."

But Mayor David Miller has urged residents to be patient as the city tries to reach a negotiated settlement with the 24,000 indoor and outdoor workers who have been on the picket line since 12:01 a.m. on Monday.

On Twitter, the mayor thanked Torontonians for their patience during the strike so far, and for putting up with the temporary dumps.

"I know drop sites in parking lots of parks are difficult - but needed," Miller wrote Thursday evening on his Twitter page.

The striking workers are fighting with the city over issues of job security, seniority, scheduling and sick-day benefits.

Aside from garbage services, city residents are also without summer camp, swimming pools and daycare services for the duration of the strike.

Other services affected by the strike include:

  • child-care centres
  • libraries located inside community centres
  • golf courses
  • the Toronto Island ferries
  • recreation centres
  • wedding services
  • city-run sexual health and dental clinics
  • restaurant inspections
  • city-run events in public squares and public parks

Public transit, police officers, fire services are not affected by the strike. Emergency calls for ambulance and paramedic services will continue as usual, the city says. However, non-emergency and low-priority calls might experience a delay.

Court services including parking ticket payments are still available to the public.

City officials have outlined their contingency plan on Toronto's official website Toronto.ca.

With files from The Canadian Press and a report from Austin Delaney