City launches blitz to clean Toronto's public spaces, streets, parks for summer

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow launched a new citywide initiative Saturday aimed at keeping public spaces clean, safe and well-maintained as people head outdoors to enjoy the summer weather. 

Under the initiative, which began Saturday, crews of 300 to 400 people will clean and refresh public spaces around the city. That work will include removing graffiti, weeds and litter from streets, sidewalks and parks, the City of Toronto said in a news release.

"Too often we have garbage that might be overflowing. The streets are sometimes … not in [the] best shape and there's litter around," Chow said at an announcement Saturday. 

"That's why we need to create a cleaner, safer city for everyone." 

These cleaning blitzes will happen for several Saturdays over the next three months, the news release said. 

The cleaning crews will also install more than 600 new garbage and recycling bins to high-usage parks. Chow said these bins will have QR codes which people can scan to notify the city when a bin needs to be emptied. 

Crews will also conduct heightened enforcement and clean-up of "illegal dumping hotspots," the city's news release said. 

Chow said the crews will investigate who is responsible for illegal dumpings. 

"We will get you, so don't dump your garbage in a place where you shouldn't be," she said. 

They will also maintain trees, make repairs to potholes, bike lanes and bike rings, and repaint pavement markings, including crosswalks. 

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The city said it will use data to identify neighbourhoods where cleaning blitzes are most needed. 

"Crews will resolve 311 service requests as well as applying an equity lens to prioritize cleaning and repairs in historically underserved, low-income and vulnerable communities where the city typically receives fewer 311 service requests," the news release said. 

The city said it is also hiring up to 30 students to join summer park cleaning teams and adding more custodial staff to maintain 21 outdoor pools.