A summer cleaning blitz is planned to tidy up Toronto’s public spaces. City works crews will be dispatched on several Saturdays over the coming three months to declutter, scrub and restore, as part of a new campaign dubbed, Keep Toronto Beautiful.

The tidying taskforce will be removing graffiti, weeds and litter, repainting pavement markers and installing 600 new garbage and recycling bins in popular parks. Up to 30 summer students will also be hired to augment park cleaning and public pool custodial teams.

Areas targeted for cleanup will be identified based on data from the City’s 311 service request line, but with an additional priority on low-income and vulnerable neighbourhoods that have historically been underserved. The campaign will also intensify enforcement and cleanup efforts in locations that have been hotspots for illegal dumping.

“When our public spaces are clean, safe and welcoming, we all benefit,” maintains Toronto Mayor Oliva Chow. “Keep Toronto Beautiful is more than just maintenance; it’s about cleaning up the streets and creating better neighbourhoods throughout our city.”