Transitioning Towards Zero Emissions Outdoor Power Equipment

Consider adopting sustainable landscaping and gardening practices which can often eliminate the need for any outdoor power equipment.

Turn Fall Leaves Into Fuel for Your Lawn and Garden

Compost your leaves whenever possible; they are great sources of nutrients for lawns and gardens. Here are two ways to use leaves to feed your yard:

• Use your lawn mower to mulch leaves on the lawn; this will improve your lawn health by suppressing weeds and fertilizing the soil.
• Rake leaves directly into your garden beds; they will protect your plants and soil over winter, serving as a layer of insulation for your garden. As the leaves decompose, they will add nutrients and promote microorganism health.

• Rake leaves and use a tarp to collect leaves.
• Add leaves to your backyard composter.
• Make leaf mold; the easiest way to make leaf mold is to just rake your leaves into a big pile and let the pile sit there to decompose for a few seasons. Leaf mold can be added to your garden beds.

Remember to:

• Rake leaves out of sewers and drainage pathways.
• Use natural landscaping to limit area that needs to be manicured but keep gardens free of prohibited plants that can pose a threat to human health or natural areas.

Remember Leaves Provide Important Overwintering Habitat for Pollinators

You may have seen “leave the leaves” campaigns through the fall, encouraging you to ditch the fall garden clean-up. Why? Allowing your garden to stand for the winter provides essential habitat for pollinating insects to overwinter.

Native pollinator species in Toronto need plant litter such as fallen leaves, dead hollow stems and logs to nest and survive the cold. Leaf litter is where many species of butterflies and moths overwinter as pupae or adults. Queen bumblebees overwinter by digging a small hole in the ground beneath leaf litter. By removing leaves, we could be removing important wintering habitats for native wildlife.

When spring arrives, many of us get anxious to get our gardens in shape for the growing season to come. But when those first warm days arrive before May, do not reach for your rake (or leaf blower).

Cleaning up your garden too early will harm nesting pollinators. Although it can be hard to wait, it is best to not partake in any garden clean-up for as long as possible in the spring. The earliest to start tidying is once the weather has consistently been above 10 degrees for at least a week.

In early spring, insects are still in diapause. This is a resting state like hibernation. The insects will not be moving and need to be left alone until it is warm enough to emerge on their own.

Want to learn more about protecting pollinators? The City’s Pollinator Protection Strategy aims to enhance and protect habitat in natural and urbanized areas. Get a grant for your pollinator garden from PollinateTO and check out our additional tips for creating a pollinator-friendly garden.

Reduce air and noise pollution by considering ways to reduce or eliminate leaf blower use following the tips under Leave the Leaves. If you do have to use a leaf blower, there are steps you can take to reduce the impacts:

• Use an electric leaf blower, which is cheaper than a gas-powered leaf blower.
• Stay as far away as possible from people or pets.
• Speak with neighbors about best hours for usage and avoid using your leaf blower too early or too late.
• When using a leaf blower, start on the edges of your yard. Blow away from your neighbours’ properties and streets.
• Pay attention and do not point the nozzle or blow debris toward people, pets, vehicles, windows or doors.
  Keep the nozzle of your leaf blower pointed down to reduce spraying dust. Wet down dusty areas before using a leaf blower.
• Use a vacuum or power broom with water to clean up construction dust, plaster dust, gravel or gravel dust, plaster, cement, concrete dust or dry topsoil. Do not use your leaf blower.

You can reduce noise from your leaf blower by adopting the following practices:

• Choose a blower that can operate at 65 decibels (dBA) or below. A leaf blower with 65 dBA still provides the power needed to care for most residential yards but is quieter than the more high-powered equipment.
• Use the nozzle equipment of your leaf blower as that can help muffle sound.
• Limit the number of leaf blowers in a small area as using multiple leaf blowers amplifies noise.

Before using a leaf blower, please familiarize yourself with the rules for power device use so that your device does not disturb your neighbours. Power devices include equipment used in the maintenance of lawns, including leaf blowers, lawnmowers, grass trimmers, chainsaws or any other similar equipment.

Noise Bylaw

Avoid using your leaf blower too early or too late in the day and let your neighbours sleep in on weekends and holidays. Powered devices can be used from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. Power devices are also permitted from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays. These rules do not apply to snow removal devices or devices used to maintain golf courses, public parks or any City operations, including services contracted by the City. Learn more about the rules for power devices in the Noise Bylaw.

Use of Streets and Sidewalk Bylaw

Help keep our sidewalks clean by not blowing leaves and lawn clippings onto sidewalks and roads. Learn more about the regulations in the Use of Streets and Sidewalk Bylaw.

What to Do If Rules Are Not Followed

If you have concerns about leaf blower noise and leaves and debris being blown onto roads and sidewalks, consider speaking with those responsible to give them an opportunity to correct the issue. If this approach does not work, call 311 or submit a complaint online.

Power Device Noise During Permitted Hours

Concerns about power device noise during permitted hours in the Noise Bylaw can be submitted through 311 Toronto. Reports submitted will not be investigated, but will be logged and used to guide future policy and enforcement initiatives. It is important to provide as many specific details as possible about the noise, including its time and location, as well as the type of equipment being used (if possible).