Coun. Peter Ferragine is fed up with illegal dumping.
For years, the Ward 5 Councillor has been receiving complaints from residents about trash dumped along roadsides.
“In my ward, I get calls from all the people on the Lines, on the Sideroads,” Ferragine said. “People are dropping full renovations out in the forests. It’s crazy. They’re dropping household trash.”
He added, “You wonder how people in the community can do something like that - or people who don’t live here, how they can have such total disregard for the environment.”
At council recently, Ferragine asked for a staff report on the issue, hoping for some new ideas, “at least trying to create some kind of deterrent.” He acknowledged that enforcement of the by-laws is difficult.
Brent Lee, Manager of Enforcement, said that last year his department responded to only four reports of illegal dumping, at dead ends on rural roads and in forests but that doesn’t begin to capture the number of trash-related calls, or the ongoing monitoring of areas where garbage has been accumulating.
Enforcement received 237 complaints about uncollected garbage, yard waste and large items left at roadside, and calls about inappropriate items piled outside charity Donation Bins.
Most of those complaints don’t lead to charges or court action; it’s usually enough to remind the homeowners that their garbage can’t be left out at curbside indefinitely.
In other situations, enforcement works within the bylaws – Littering, Property Standards and Clean Yards, Business Licencing – to enforce compliance.
“There are several bylaws which can be used to obtain compliance or deter potential dumpers through the issuance of fines,” Lee said.
Fines vary, he noted, but “maximum fine amounts are legislated through Section 61 of the Provincial Offences Act,” at no more than $5,000, on conviction.
Catching illegal dumpers and getting a conviction can be difficult.
Lee noted that enforcement officers “do have the ability to make use of camera footage, photographs and statements taken by eyewitnesses to pursue illegal dumpers,” and assured residents that “officers will respond to any concern, commensurate to the severity of the act.”
But he acknowledged that a case might not make it to court, if the prosecutor feels there is “no reasonable prospect of conviction,” or that there is insufficient evidence as to who actually did the dumping.
And that can leave property owners and the Town on the hook for cleanup and costs.
Property owners are responsible for any garbage on private property, and for removing uncollectable trash that they themselves placed at the roadside.
The Town picks up trash dumped at road ends, in rural ditches and in parks, with the taxpayer footing the bill.
Usually, the costs can be borne within the Town’s operating budget, Lee said, and the County of Simcoe has waived tipping fees, when it’s a matter of illegally-dumped trash.
Bradford West Gwillimbury is now looking at a number of options, to discourage dumping – including increased signage around parks and natural areas, Lee said.
“These signs include maximum penalty provisions and contact information for enforcement,” Lee said. “The hope is that through education, engagement and enforcement, would-be dumpers will think twice.”
A revised “littering bylaw” is also being prepared for council.
And this summer, the Town of BWG is organizing a Curbside Treasure Hunt Day.
On June 22, residents will be able to place unwanted, gently-used items at roadside, starting at 7 a.m., that can be picked up, free of charge, by “treasure” hunters.
Residents are asked to keep hydrants and sidewalks clear, place a ‘free’ sign on the unwanted items and remove anything not taken, by 7 p.m. that night.
At the end of the day, unwanted items can be donated to charity, if in good shape or taken to the 12th Line Transfer station for disposal. The County of Simcoe also provides a bulky item collection for a fee, 5 items for $40. Only 1 or 2 large items? The Town suggests partnering with a neighbour, to split the cost.
