Canary District trash bins overflowing due to missed pickups

By Faiza Amin

The Toronto neighbourhood that hosted thousands of athletes during the Pan and Parapan American Games is now a dump, according to residents who say the area has been taken over by trash.

For weeks, garbage from the Canary District’s overflowing dumpsters has been blowing around the area’s homes and collecting on the sidewalks, road and people’s front lawns. Residents said it’s due to missed garbage pickups.

“Since the start of December, it’s been crazy — I’ve never seen it like this,” resident David Elliot told CityNews. “It’s just been total overflow.”

“Honestly, it’s an eyesore,” Atong Yuot said. “I live here, so it’s disgusting walking around my neighbourhood and seeing how much garbage there is here.”

Elliot said he and the property managers have reached out to local councillor Pam McConnell to find out why the bins haven’t been emptied.

Coun. McConnell wasn’t at City hall on Wednesday, but her office confirmed it had received the property manager’s email about the missed pickups. Staff said they’re looking into why the gaps happened and that getting the service back on track is a priority.

McConnell’s office couldn’t say how many days were missed because the City’s data management system changed on Jan. 1 and didn’t carry over that information.

Solid Waste Management Services attributed the problem to a new employee working for the contractor who missed the route.

Late Wednesday afternoon, a crew emptied the garbage bins in the alleyways, and a City employee picked up some of the trash along the road.

CityNews reached out to property managers Dream Unlimited Corp. and Brookfield Properties, but hasn’t yet received a response.

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