Dining al fresco is among the most anticipated spring and summer activities in Toronto, but the garbage pickup schedule on some of the city’s popular streets is putting a damper on patio drinks with a side of sun.
In the Ossington, Queen West, College Street and Dundas West areas Thursday is garbage day — the day many consider Friday “lite.” It’s also one of the busiest nights for hospitality businesses in those neighbourhoods, along with Friday and Saturday.
“With the garbage night being on Thursday, it doesn’t lend itself to being the most amazing atmosphere — sitting next to garbage bins,” Ossington BIA manager Meg Marshall tells CityNews.
The city’s night economy champion, Coun. Paul Ainslie, with support from Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, is hoping to help change that.
In a letter to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee (IEC) last month, they said “the presence of garbage bins on Thursday nights negatively impacts the dining experience for patrons enjoying the vibrant nightlife and outdoor dining options.”
Marshall says several area businesses have expressed concerns about the state of the sidewalks on Thursday nights specifically in relation to increased visitor traffic.
“The sidewalks are not only cluttered with countless garbage bins, but with copious bags of waste and overflow recycling as well. Pedestrians maneuver their way through this obstacle course as the sidewalk is reduced to half its width and patio goers dine alongside the garbage,” she said in her letter to the IEC.
The chair of the Little Portugal BIA adds that it doesn’t make the best impression on tourists.
“Especially on streets like Dundas, we don’t have back alley pickup, so it’s in front of the stores. We Torontonians get used to it, but people that come from out of town look at us probably thinking that we must be a really dirty bunch, not to talk about smelly. So it is something that definitely should be changed to a less busy day of the week,” says AnaBela Taborda.
“And this is something that business owners really care about, which is to ensure that they do everything that they can to make the experience of dining as enjoyable as possible to their patrons.”
She adds that moving garbage pickup day would go a long way in supporting the local businesses in the affected areas.
“Small businesses are our backbone … so we need to help them with everything that we can,” she says.
Marshall agrees, adding that unclean streets can turn people away and are bad for business.
“What draws people to a neighborhood? The perception of safety, cleanliness, vibrancy. So we want to make sure that we can maintain clean, safe streets and garbage is a part of that,” she says.
“Especially being monikered one of the ‘coolest streets in the world’ — we have to live up to that. We have to look at things from different perspectives and do what we can, within reason, to try and support [Ossington as a] continued destination.”
In a statement to CityNews, Coun. Malik also emphasizes the need to support small businesses.
“In this time of tariffs and additional economic pressures, my priority is to support our small business community and encourage residents to shop and eat local,” she says.
“My goal is to create a more welcoming environment during the busiest evenings, ultimately supporting the thriving night economy and contributing to the continued success of these vital west-end neighbourhoods.”
The hope is to review the collection schedule and move garbage pickup to an off-peak day like Tuesday or Wednesday, when patios aren’t packed with people.
“Shifting collection from Thursday evenings to an off-peak night will significantly enhance the ambiance and appeal of these vibrant hubs during their busiest times,” says Coun. Ainslie in a statement to CityNews.
“This proposed change, driven by community feedback and designed to support our thriving night economy, would demonstrate a commitment to create a more welcoming and enjoyable environment for residents, visitors, and local businesses.”
Both Marshall and Torbado say it will likely take some time for the change to go through the various levels at City Hall, so they don’t expect the revision in time for this patio season.
“Nothing’s going to happen overnight. Things with the city always take time — reports and consultation have to be done. But we have to start at some point,” says Marshall.
“It has to go through proper due process … and if it’s a 2026 implementation, that’s fine. So we’re starting the process now, and fingers crossed that we can find a solution that makes sense for everybody.”
The motion passed unanimously at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee meeting last month with no debate and will be considered by city council in upcoming meetings this week.
