Ontario Marks Fifth Annual Day of Action on Litter

Ontario government is working on multiple fronts to keep parks and waterways free of litter.

NEWS MAY 14, 2024

ETOBICOKE – Today, Ontario is marking the fifth annual Provincial Day of Action on Litter, a significant milestone in the Ontario government’s ongoing efforts to tackle litter and preserve the natural beauty of our province.

“We are fortunate to live in a wonderful community where residents take pride in keeping our water, trails, and parks clean. We all have a role to play in looking after our environment. The Provincial Day of Action on Litter is another great day to get involved and make a difference,” said Christine Hogarth, MPP, Etobicoke-Lakeshore.  “Let’s put litter where it belongs and ensure that it neither harms the environment nor the image of our community.”

If every person in Ontario picked up one coffee cup-sized piece of litter, there would be over 15 million fewer pieces of litter damaging our environment, which is enough litter to fill about 47,000 standard garbage bags.

“From the shores of the Great Lakes to the forests of Algonquin Park, Ontario is home to some of the most beautiful natural landscapes,” said Andrea Khanjin, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. “As a mother, I want my child – and all children in Ontario — to grow up taking pride in their communities and feeling empowered to take action to ensure Ontario stays beautiful.”

Our government is working on multiple fronts to keep parks and waterways free of litter. For example, we have invested over $2.4 million to address plastic pollution by funding community-based projects, in collaboration with partners such as Pollution Probe, Boating Ontario Association and Toronto Region Conservation Authority. These projects have included shoreline cleanups and the installation of preventive plastic capture devices at marinas. In 2023-24, the Toronto & Region Conservation Authority received $750,000 under the Wetlands Conservation Partnership Program to restore over 9.5 hectares of wetland habitat and enhance 20 hectares of wetland habitat throughout the Humber River and Mimico Creek.

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Saurabh Kapoor
Senior Communications Specialist
Office of Christine Hogarth, MPP Etobicoke-Lakeshore
saurabh.kapoor@pc.ola.org
416-259-2249
195 Norseman St. Unit 21, Etobicoke, ON M8Z 0E9