Calls for a crackdown on illegal dumping are emerging at city hall, following complaints that the problem is creating an inner-city eyesore.
Carla Davidson said her Selkirk Avenue back lane has repeatedly been used as a dumping ground, which she’s reported to the city multiple times since the summer.
“Literally, people will come and dump tree branches, they come and dump truckloads of garbage. It’s ridiculous. (They do this) rather than taking it to the dump,” said Davidson. “I have been phoning the city and I’ve almost given up.”
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Garbage litters the back alley between Selkirk and Pritchard Avenues near Main Street.
She noted the city has cleaned up the trash at times and tends to respond to her calls within a few weeks when bulky items, like couches, are discarded.
“But it’s such an ongoing issue. It never stops,” said Davidson.
On Wednesday, the lane contained at least one large tree limb and a small pile of construction materials, along with several small mounds of trash and one large pile. It appeared multiple garbage bags had been opened, with their contents strewn along the edge of a fence.
Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie, who represents the area, said the issue is widespread and he’s calling for changes to address it.
“I totally get (this resident’s) frustration … (The dumping problem) is all around the inner city,” said Eadie.
The councillor said he’s now working with the Selkirk Avenue BIZ to set up a bulky waste pilot project. He said funding is in place for the effort, which will involve placing a 22-foot long monitored trash bin in the area on scheduled days, where only area residents would be allowed to dump their bulky waste.
Once up and running, Eadie expects the pilot project would last for about a year, though it doesn’t have an exact start date yet.
At Thursday’s council meeting, Eadie plans to raise a motion to have the city ramp up its use of surveillance cameras to try to catch illegal dumpers in the act.
Eadie noted a pilot project already tested illegal dumping surveillance cameras between 2016 and 2018.
At the time, some councillors credited the program with deterring dumping and other crimes. But funding for a broad, permanent project has not been approved since, said Eadie.
“(My new) motion will be for the budget working group to re-establish the video camera enforcement program … to catch the people that are coming from out of neighbourhood and dumping,” he said.
Eadie previously raised a motion to have garbage collection consolidated into one city department and another to assign city crews to help boost collection and combat dumping, though those measures were not implemented so far.
The frustrated councillor repeatedly directed a clear message to illegal dumping culprits.
“Stop! You’re wrecking the neighbourhood!” he said.
Davidson said she’d also like greater enforcement efforts, as well as quick cleanups. Otherwise, she fears trash will continue to accumulate.
“I think nothing’s been done for so long and nobody has been held accountable, so (people think) ‘Oh, let’s just drive down and we can dump it in this back alley because nobody does anything (in response),’” she said.
Davidson stressed the matter is a public safety issue, since the trash attracts rodents, has been set on fire and is piling up close to a daycare.
“There’s so much garbage, up against the fence,” she said.
While she often clears trash directly behind her own home, Davidson said she can’t keep up with the amount coming in.
She said her frustration peaked after she was told an online dumping report she filed Aug. 16 would be inspected by April 2025.
“As soon as it said 2025, (I thought) that is an unreasonable amount of time. I think it’s ridiculous,” said Davidson.
City spokesman Adam Campbell said it’s possible that date was given in error and the city is now updating a 311 script. The city could not find the date mentioned in its records by deadline Wednesday.
“The actual inspection time (for dumping reports) is 48 hours. The exact time to clean it up can vary based on the resources required,” wrote Campbell, in an email.
He said the city could not immediately provide the number of illegal dumping complaints it received this year, or how many it responded to, but noted dumping is a frequent concern on Selkirk.
“Garbage and litter have been an ongoing issue on Selkirk Avenue over the last several months, and we have received numerous complaints about it,” said Campbell.
He said the city added “bi-weekly sweeps” in the area throughout the spring and summer to address the problem, which will continue less frequently this winter.
Campbell said there is “limited” use of surveillance cameras to track illegal dumping but the city does not disclose the locations.
The city urges residents to report illegal dumping complaints to 311, including any photos, videos and other details that can assist investigations.
An individual can be fined $2,000 for large-scale dumping, while a corporation can be fined $4,000.
joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca
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Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter
Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.
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