4/7/2013 3:35:30 PM

April 2, 2013
Mayor Rob Ford today introduced the Clean Toronto Together initiative for 2013. Coinciding with the arrival of spring, the initiative brings together programs that help keep Toronto clean. They include the City's four-week cleanup program, cleanup days at schools and workplaces, removal of graffiti vandalism and Mayor Ford's Community Cleanup Day.

"Keeping our streets, parks and neighbourhoods clean and safe is the goal of the Clean Toronto Together program," said Mayor Ford. "What is significant about this program is that we all work together. City staff, students, workers in offices, community groups - everyone pitches in and works together to keep our city clean."

The first part of the program is the City's interdivisional cleanup effort. This spring cleanup begins with several hundred staff removing graffiti vandalism, cleaning up litter and hauling away dead trees and branches from City property. About 300 pieces of equipment are involved, including 50 litter vacuums, 45 sweepers, 20 front-end loaders, 50 stake trucks, 11 collection trucks and 60 pickup trucks.

Office employees and other workers as well as students can take part in the corporate and school cleanup day held on April 19. Students and office workers are invited to join their colleagues to clean the area around their schools or workplaces.

The following day, Saturday, April 20, is Mayor Ford's Community Cleanup Day. It's an opportunity for community groups and other organizations to clean up a park or other public space in their local neighbourhood.

The deadline for organizations and large groups to register for their event is April 15. Registration at http://www.toronto.ca/cleantoronto, or by calling 311, enables City staff to arrange litter pickup.

Toronto has a comprehensive Graffiti Management Plan in place to deal with graffiti vandalism. Residents are asked to report any graffiti vandalism they observe on public or private property by calling 311. In addition, a program called StreetARToronto is in place to promote and increase awareness of street art in an effort to add beauty to Toronto neighbourhoods.

Addressing the issue of posters on public property, the City of Toronto passed a bylaw in 2010 as a way to enforce violations and deter this type of activity. The City installed 500 poster columns, 360 transit shelter poster boards and 43 roadside canopies to provide a space for community members to display public posters. Toronto residents can help in the cleanup of posters by using the appropriate City-approved poster locations and by calling 311 if they are aware of a postering problem.

GLAD Canada is the lead sponsor for the Clean Toronto Together program.

"GLAD Canada couldn't be more thrilled to be part of the Clean Toronto Together Program," said Guido Romagnoli, Business Lead, GLAD Canada. "Something as simple as spending just a few minutes pitching in for our city-wide spring cleaning can be invaluable. This year, we are providing blue bags to the program to encourage recycling wherever possible. Let’s make Toronto, the city we already know and love, even more beautiful and vibrant."

CP24 is the broadcast partner for the event while Newstalk 1010 is the new radio partner. Other sponsors include the Toronto Sun, the Toronto Star, Tim Hortons, the Home Depot and Pizza Pizza. New community programming partners for the program are Earth Day Canada and Park People.

This year, a Corporate Cleanup Champion program has been added to highlight companies that are doing extended cleanups in their community. They include Cisco Canada, CP Rail, Canada Running Series, Toronto Dominion Friends of the Environment Foundation and partners.