Bylaw enforcement - illegal dumping of - waste - garbage - fouling the sidewalk - on road allowance

Description of Service / Summary

This service allows residents to report illegal dumping, garbage, waste, or fouling of sidewalks on City property (road allowance). Reports can be submitted when the person responsible for the dumping can be identified. Residents may be required to provide details of the incident and could be asked to participate in an investigation or court process if they witnessed the violation.

Report Illegal Dumping

To report illegal dumping on the road allowance, select the request link below or call 311. 

What Is Considered Road Allowance

Road allowance includes public areas such as:

  • Sidewalks
  • Boulevards
  • Streets
  • Public laneways
  • Street garbage bins
  • Waste set out for collection that was not generated from the property

Definition of Illegal Dumping

Illegal dumping is the discarding of waste or materials where they do not belong, when the individual responsible can be identified.

If the responsible party cannot be identified, a service request cannot be submitted.

Examples of illegal dumping may include:

  • Black garbage bags or kitchen catchers
  • Large quantities of garbage
  • Bulky items such as furniture, appliances, mattresses, etc.
  • Investigation of a specific individual for littering
  • Placing waste generated on private property into public street receptacles

Fouling the Sidewalk

Fouling of sidewalks may include substances such as:

  • Food waste or cooking oil (for example from vendors)
  • Liquid leaking from disposal containers or garbage bags

Information Required from the Person Reporting

When submitting a report, the complainant must provide:

  • Name and phone number(s)
  • Garbage location (address if known, or the nearest intersection)
  • Nature of the complaint (for example: paint cans dumped in a laneway, garbage bags, a fridge with doors attached, etc.)
  • The party responsible for the dumping

Important: Do not touch or disturb the garbage bags, as they may contain hazardous waste.

If you witnessed someone dumping garbage (for example: “I saw a person dumping garbage” or “their vehicle licence plate number is XYZ”), you may be required to appear in court to provide evidence.

Witness Requirements for Littering or Dumping

If a report is based only on witness information such as a licence plate number, the reporting individual must:

  • Provide their contact information to Bylaw Enforcement Officers (BEO)
  • Submit a signed “Will Say Statement”
  • Be available to attend court and provide testimonial evidence about what they witnessed

Removal of Garbage and Reimbursement

The City cannot reimburse residents for removing garbage from public property.

If you believe someone has illegally dumped garbage and you can identify the responsible party:

  • Do not touch or move the garbage
  • Wait for a Municipal Standards Officer (MSO) to investigate and arrange for removal

Removing the garbage before investigation eliminates evidence of illegal dumping.

City Property vs. Private Property

Property boundaries may vary between properties. Residents should refer to their property survey to confirm the street line.

General guideline:

  • Waste located at the curb → Waste & Parks Enforcement issue
  • Waste located beside the home/building or in the rear yard → Property Standards issue

Garbage Placed in a Neighbour’s Bin

If a neighbour places excess garbage bags into another neighbour’s garbage bin while it is at the curb on City property, it may be considered illegal dumping.

To report this:

  • The homeowner must have witnessed the action
  • The homeowner must be willing to attend court if required
  • Contact 311 to submit a service request

Hazardous or Unidentified Liquid Spills

For unidentified or hazardous liquid spills:

  • Contact 311, and a 311 Customer Service Representative will report the issue to Toronto Fire for investigation and response.

Additional Resources

If your concern involves other types of debris or litter, please refer to the following:

Additional information about Parks & Waste Enforcement is available on the City of Toronto website.