Toronto Mayor John Tory Launches 2021 City-Wide Spring Cleanup

TDS News
Eastern Canada
April 9, 2021

Mayor John Tory officially launched Toronto’s annual city-wide spring cleanup campaign

Despite the ongoing pandemic, work at the City continues to move forward to ensure that residents have access to City services and amenities. This includes the work of essential workers from multiple City divisions who will take on the necessary work of making public spaces safe and clean for residents when they are outside for fresh air or exercise and essential workers travelling to and from work.

During the month of April and into early May, spring cleanup activities will require approximately 1,400 workers, with health and safety protocols in place, from across the City of Toronto. They will use approximately 150 pieces of equipment including garbage trucks, pickup trucks, street sweepers, sidewalk vacuums, loaders, tractors and pressure washers to clean parks, roads, sidewalks, ravines and other public spaces.

As part of the city-wide cleanup efforts and to make washrooms more accessible in the city, park washrooms that were closed for the winter will be opening up next week – almost a full month ahead of schedule. The 46 park washrooms that are currently open will remain open for the year and supplemental portable toilets that were installed over the winter will remain in place as seasonal washrooms are being opened.

Throughout the pandemic, the City has worked hard to keep public spaces clean and safe. Toronto’s more than 1,500 parks, green or natural areas and public spaces continue to be popular as people seek out fresh air and exercise.

During this time, parks remain open with many amenities available to the public who are outside for exercise. Available amenities include:

more than 800 playgrounds and 30 parks with outdoor fitness equipment
outdoor sport courts
70 outdoor table tennis and 60 chess tables; and
68 off-leash dog areas.

Beginning in May, additional staff will be dedicated to enhanced litter clearing across Toronto’s waterfront including popular destination parks and beaches. Beach grooming begins in late April to early May, weather dependent, and continues throughout the summer season. This will include increasing the amount of waste bins along the waterfront and emptying those in high traffic areas more frequently.

The City saw an increase in the amount of litter in Toronto’s public spaces last year. Litter can have harmful effects on the environment and pose risks to both animals and people. The City is asking the public to do their part to help keep Toronto clean and safe by properly disposing of items in available street and park bins and not littering items on the ground.

Due to current stay at home orders that help stop virus spread, the community-based “Clean Toronto Together” program – which traditionally happens in the spring – has been cancelled. The City is planning to reschedule Clean Toronto Together to September, subject to public health guidance at that time.