Pilot Project to Provide for More Garbage Cans
to be Placed on St. Clair Avenue West (Davenport)
The Toronto Community Council recommends that:
(1) the pilot litter receptacle and garbage storage receptacle program described in the report (June 12, 1998)
from the Director of Operations and Sanitation, City Works Services be approved;
(2) the pilot project extend from approximately August 1 to December 31, 1998; that all pilot litter and
garbage receptacles be removed at the end of the pilot; and that approval of the pilot project have no effect
on any program for provision of litter and garbage receptacles elsewhere in the City at any time and in this
area after December 31, 1998;
(3) authorization be given for the provision of approximately 20 advertising litter receptacles by Olifas
Marketing Group Inc., at no cost to the City, for the duration of the pilot;
(4) the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to report to the Toronto Community
Council on the results of the pilot project following its completion; and
(5) the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect
thereto, including entering into a contract in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.
Recommendation No. (3) was carried on the following division of votes:
Yeas:Councillors Rae, Adams, Bossons, Disero, Fotinos, Jakobek, McConnell, Pantalone, Silva - 9
Nays:Councillors Bussin, Chow, Johnston, Layton, Miller, Walker - 6
The Toronto Community Council reports, for the information of Council, having requested the Commissioner of
Works and Emergency Services to submit the previously requested report on the shortage of garbage receptacles in
certain areas of the City, to the meeting of the Toronto Community Council to be held on July 22, 1998.
The Toronto Community Council submits the following report (June 22, 1998) from the Director of
Operations and Sanitation, City Works Services:
Purpose:
To provide an alternate method of providing additional litter receptacles on St. Clair Avenue West on a pilot basis.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
If City-owned litter receptacles are used in a pilot project, there will be no additional costs to the City.
Recommendation:
If it is decided to proceed with a pilot project with more litter receptacles on St. Clair Avenue West, that
City-owned receptacles be used.
Council Reference/Background/History:
A separate report to your Community Council (June 12, 1998) entitled "Pilot Project to Provide for More Garbage
Cans to be Placed on St. Clair Avenue West (Ward 21 - Davenport)" recommends that a pilot project be carried out
using litter receptacles provided by Olifas Marketing Group Inc. and displaying advertising.
The former City of Toronto carried out a tender process in 1995 which contemplated the placement of advertising
on refuse collection vehicles, litter receptacles and other street furniture. The former City of Toronto Council
decided not to proceed with such a program (Clause 25, contained in Executive Committee Report No. 15, adopted
by City Council at its meeting of June 5 and 6, 1995.)
Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:
While the proposal to use litter receptacles with advertising in a pilot project on St. Clair Avenue West was intended
to provide experience with this option and to obtain input from residents, it may be perceived as pre-empting any
decision by City Council on the general issue of advertising on the street allowance and City vehicles. Staff will
report separately to the appropriate Committee of City Council on this overall issue.
In order to avoid a conflict between the pilot project and any decision by City Council regarding the provision of
litter receptacles with advertising on the road allowance, it is recommended that, if the pilot project is to proceed, it
be carried out using City-owned litter receptacles. There are sufficient City-owned receptacles in inventory to carry
out the pilot project.
Conclusion:
The pilot project on St. Clair Avenue West should proceed using City-owned litter receptacles.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
John Warren
Director of Operations and Sanitation
Toronto Community Council Area
Phone (416) 392-1846
Fax (416) 392-0396
E-Mail "jwarren2@city.toronto.on.ca"
The Toronto Community Council also submits the following report (June 12, 1998) from the Director of
Operations and Sanitation, City Works Services:
Purpose:
To establish a procedure to install additional litter receptacles on St. Clair Avenue West and determine whether the
installation of these litter receptacles reduces littering and garbage accumulation.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
The implementation of the pilot project recommended in this report will not result in additional costs to the City.
The assessment of the pilot project will include analysis regarding the relative costs of increased numbers of litter
receptacles versus street cleaning costs.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1) the pilot litter receptacle and garbage storage receptacle program described in this report be approved;
(2) the pilot project extend from approximately August 1 to December 31, 1998 and that all pilot litter and garbage
receptacles be removed at the end of the pilot;
(3) authorization be given for the provision of approximately 20 advertising litter receptacles by Olifas Marketing
Group Inc., at no cost to the City, for the duration of the pilot;
(4) the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services be requested to report to the Toronto Community Council
on the results of the pilot project following its completion; and
(5) the appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.
Council Reference/Background/History:
At its meeting of May 6 and 7, 1998, the Toronto Community Council requested the Commissioner of Works and
Emergency Services:
"(1)to report to the Toronto Community Council to be held on June 24, 1998 on:
(a)a pilot project that would provide for more garbage cans to be placed on St. Clair Avenue West between
Lansdowne Avenue and Winona Drive and its impacts on litter on the street;
(b)the number of, availability of, and demand for garbage cans in the former City of Toronto; and
(2)to meet with representatives of Corso Italia BIA, Earlscourt Residents' Association, Regal Heights Residents'
Association and Policy Community Partnership - 13 Division in order to discuss possibilities in this regard, and
report back to the meeting of the Toronto Community Council to be held on June 24, 1998."
Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:
1. Meeting with Representatives of Corso Italia BIA, Earlscourt Residents' Association, Regal Heights Residents'
Association and Police Community Partnership - 13 Division
On June 2, 1998 a meeting convened by Councillor Betty Disero was held between Works and Emergency Services
staff and representatives of the above neighbourhood and business groups. The meeting included a review of the
data on litter generation and collection presented in this report and a tour of St. Clair Avenue West to observe litter
conditions.
In the meeting, residents indicated that a higher density of litter receptacles might reduce littering on the street and
in such locations as planters, and that mid-block litter receptacles may be of assistance in reducing littering. Litter
receptacles are generally located at block ends where parking is restricted in order to facilitate emptying of the
receptacles. Frequency of litter pickup and the issue of garbage set out at litter receptacles was also discussed.
It was agreed that the pilot project recommended in this report be proceeded with, subject to the approval of City
Council.
2. Number, Availability and Demand for Litter Receptacles in the Toronto Community
Council Area
The current inventory of litter receptacles in the Toronto Community Council Area and the demand for their use is
shown in Table 1 (attached), together with the changes in numbers in recent years.
The inventory of litter receptacles increased by 25% between 1990 and 1997 and reduced somewhat in 1998 as a
result of thefts of litter receptacles and the elimination of litter receptacles from low demand locations where stolen
receptacles were not replaced. All stolen litter receptacles have been replaced on the street or in inventory, in
accordance with the City's self insurance policy. The current cost of the litter collection operation is $1,450,000 per
year, or $900 per receptacle per year. The cost of litter collection is approximately $630 per tonne. The litter
receptacles are an integral part of the Toronto Community Council Area litter collection operation, as litter
collection staff place collected litter in the receptacles for transfer and disposal.
The former City of Toronto Works Services and Parks Departments developed an improved litter collection system
for implementation in 1999 using improved equipment subject to appropriate equipment availability. This system
will result in operational savings of approximately $500,000 per year and will require the sharing of collection
equipment between Works and Emergency Services and Community and Neighbourhoods Services staff. The
implementation of this improved efficiency program should proceed in 1999 when new collection equipment starts
to become available.
Table 1 shows that between 1990 and 1997 there was a substantial increase in on-street receptacles due to demands
from neighbourhoods. While increased numbers of litter receptacles increase capital and operating costs for
receptacle maintenance and operation, they may result in reduced overall littering. No definitive relationship
between the existence of litter receptacles and on-street litter has been established in any City study carried out to
date.
3. Pilot Project for More Garbage Cans on St. Clair Avenue West
A pilot project has been developed to both increase the density of litter receptacles on St. Clair Avenue West and
monitor the impacts of locating these additional receptacles on litter conditions. The existing and proposed pilot
additional receptacles are shown in Table 2, attached.
The meeting with neighbourhood representatives showed that household garbage accumulation is at least as
significant an issue as litter accumulation on St. Clair Avenue West. This is also an issue in other parts of the
Toronto Community Council Area. Residents of many apartments have limited storage space for garbage and do not
wish to retain it in their apartments. They sometimes place garbage in and around litter receptacles. This occurs on a
seven day per week basis. It is proposed to establish enclosed outdoor garbage storage containers on the road
allowance at one location on St. Clair Avenue West (on the south side of the street, on the block between Lauder
Avenue and Glenholme Avenue) and to work with neighbourhood residents to determine whether the provision of
such storage facilities will reduce the illegal set out of garbage in and around litter receptacles. Residents will be
responsible for setting out the garbage stored in containers at curbside on regular garbage collection days. On this
block, a mid-block litter receptacle also will be provided on a pilot basis to determine the impact of mid-block
placement of litter receptacles and operational impacts.
4. Provision of Advertising Funded Receptacles
In order to reduce the cost of the pilot program, it is proposed to use receptacles provided by Olifas Marketing
Group Inc. for the pilot. Approximately 20 litter receptacles will have advertising provided on both faces.
Neighbourhood residents have viewed the receptacles and have no objections to their use in the pilot. If it is decided
to expand the use of such litter receptacles funded by advertising throughout the City, the cost of the City's
inventory of receptacles including in-stock receptacles (approximately $2,000,000 in the Toronto Community
Council Area) could be eliminated and revenues could be recovered by the City from the sale of advertising.
5. Timing and Cost of the Pilot Project
It is recommended that the pilot project run from approximately August 1 to December 31, 1998, and that a report
be presented to your Community Council on the results of the pilot following its termination. At termination of the
pilot project, all pilot containers should be removed. The cost of the pilot project can be accommodated within the
overall budget for street cleaning in the Toronto Community Council Area.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
John Warren
Director of Operations and Sanitation
Toronto Community Council Area
Phone (416) 392-1846
Fax (416) 392-0396
E-Mail "jwarren2@city.toronto.on.ca"
Table 1
Litter Receptacles in the Toronto Community Council Area
St. Clair Avenue West
St. Clair Avenue West
The following persons appeared before the Toronto Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter:
-Mr. Michael Homsi, OMG Media; and
-Ms. Rita Gardonio.
