Quick links:
Garbage Collection: Homeowners
Garbage Collection: Apartment Dwellers
Day Cares/Summer Camps
Swimming Pools/
Beaches
Paramedics
Parking Permits
Parks
Parking Tickets/Taxes
Wedding Chapels
Animal Control
Island Ferry/Poter Airlines
The strike both sides said they didn't want is here. It began just one day after the official start of summer. How long it lasts is up to the union and the City to decide. They've actually been talking since last December, and in all that time, many major issues have not been resolved.
In the meantime, just about everything you take for granted is gone until they get it settled.
CUPE claims Toronto negotiators are asking for too many concessions, most especially the removal of the banking of 18 sick days, which they claim is a hard fought for right they shouldn't have to give back.
But the City Auditor claims the move is costing millions of dollars taxpayers can no longer afford in lean times and something has to give.
Just after midnight on Monday, June 22, something did, as both the outside workers (Local 416) and the inside workers (Local 79) walked off the job in what could be a long, bitter strike that - without garbage pick-up - really stinks.
The last one spanned 16 days, and was only resolved when the workers were legislated back by Queen's Park. But many believe that only happened because Pope John Paul II was scheduled here for World Youth Day and Toronto and the province didn't want the eyes of the planet to see the city as a giant trash heap.
This time there's no such event or special guest. So how long it will last is open to question.
Here's what you need to know about the strike and its major effects on you and your family.
What Won't Be Affected
Police, fire and the TTC will all still be normal. You will be able to get an ambulance in an emergency, but some paramedic service will be reduced. (See more below.)
Garbage Collection
Unless you live in Etobicoke, where the service is contracted out, or you live or work outside of Toronto, this is the first and most obvious effect of the job action. There will be no pick-up anywhere else for the duration of the strike. But that doesn't mean you can't get rid of it.
What you can do:
Homeowners
1) Hold onto it
The City suggests double bagging your trash and storing it in a place out of the sun. It may not smell good, but it will be O.K. for a few weeks. And while they try to settle this mess, you'll be stuck with yours. Despite the current pick-up restrictions on how much you can put out, the city promises they'll take it all away once the strike ends.
2) Take it to one of two special points, which will be open 24/7 for the duration. Be aware there could be some pickets there trying to slow you down, but you'll eventually get through. They'll accept both household and commercial waste provided it's double bagged.
Bermondsey Transfer Station
188 Bermondsey Rd.
(Eglinton and Victoria Park)
Ingram Transfer Station
50 Ingram Dr.
Keele and Eglinton Ave. W.
3) Take it to five transfer stations, which will stay open seven days a week during the strike, but only from 7am-7pm.
Disco Transfer Station
120 Disco Rd.
(Dixon Rd. & Carlingview Dr.)
Dufferin Transfer Station
35 Vanley Cr.
(Chesswood Dr & Sheppard Ave. W.)
Victoria Park Transfer Station
3350 Victoria Park Ave
(Victoria Park Ave & Finch Ave. E.)
Commissioners Street Transfer Station
400 Commissioners St
(Lake Shore Blvd. E. & Logan Ave.)
Scarborough Transfer Station
1 Transfer Pl
(Markham Rd & Sheppard Ave. E.)
Here is the full list of new dumps accepting residential and yellow-bag garbage, open seven days a week from 7am to 7pm.
- Ted Reeve Arena
- Sir Casimir Gzowski Park
- Etienne Brule Park
- North Toronto Memorial Arena
- Caledonia Park
- Scarborough Arena
- Highland Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
- Eglinton Flats 1 (enter off Jane St.)
- Eglinton Flats 2 (enter off Emmett Ave.)
- Sunnyside Park
- Centennial Arena Community Centre
- Wilket Creek / Sunnybrook Park
- George Bell Arena
- Moss Park
- Earlscourt Park
- Villiers St.
- Wishing Well Park
- North York Centennial Centre
- Dan Wadlow Park
- Christie Pits
* to close Sunday, July 5.
The City of
Toronto
also has a slew of new potential "secondary" sites that could join the stink parade if the strike continues to drag on.
They are:
Budapest
Park
- Parking area south of Lakeshore, second lot east of the westerly lot
Campbell Playground - Southeast corner of Antler St. & Campbell St.
Cummer Arena -
6000 Leslie St.
, Parking Lot
Dufferin
Grove
Park
- West of Havelock Avenue, baseball diamond & soccer field
E. T. Seaton - Parking Lot
Earl
Bales
Park
-
4169 Bathurst St.
, Parking Lot (additional parking area)
East York
Community Centre -
1081 Pape Avenue
Greenwood
Park
- Internal paved road north from
Dundas Street East
, West of Green Avenue, east of
Aldon Avenue
Greenwood
Park
- Two baseball diamonds
Greenwood
Park
- Soccer field
Rennie
Park
- Paved parking lot, East of Windermere Avenue, north off Rennie Terrace
Trinity-Bellwoods - Paved pathways in park, south of
Dundas St. W.
Woodbine
Beach
Park
- Parking lot, south of
Lakeshore Boulevard
, between Coxwell and Woodbine Avenues (at Boardwalk Café)
And don't think of taking your trash to an out the city GTA dump. They're now asking for proof of residence before they'll let you leave anything behind.
4) Reduce your amount
Try buying products with less packaging. If you generate less garbage, you'll have less to throw out.
5) Consider composting
Those table scraps and all that food you don't eat don't have to rot in the green bin. It can be made into mulch which can help your garden grow. But don't use meat or dairy products.
6) Consider the freezer route
O.K. it sounds not only bizarre but disgusting. Still, some insist they'll try placing their trash in the fridge or freezer, to keep the rotting - and by extension - the odours at bay. It's not everyone's solution, but it could be one you may want to consider if the strike drags on for a long time.
7) You
can take it with you
This one might not make everyone happy and it's a bit on the risky side, but some people insist they're going to do it, so for what it's worth, here it is. If you have a relative who lives outside Toronto - or in Etobicoke - they can throw your trash out for you. Keep in mind, many areas in the GTA, like Vaughan, have a three bag limit without special tags, so be sure you find out if they can get your bag in without exceeding their allotted amount.
Some people have also suggested they'll be taking their garbage with them to work, if their employers have a contracted out service. It might be a good idea to make sure your company is willing to take this on - you don't want to trash your job for the sake of trashing your waste.
What you shouldn't do:
1) DON'T dump it illegally
Not only will it plug up parks, alleyways and sidewalks, potentially attracting vermin, but it's illegal and you could get fined. It happened a lot during the 2002 strike, and the City was forced to assign personnel to patrol the parks to stop the practice.
2) DON'T leave it without asking
If you're planning to leave your trash with someone else who's not in Toronto, ask permission first. A lot of areas have bag limits that could wind up costing residents nice enough to say yes extra money. And you wouldn't want them to do that to you.
3) DON'T do any unnecessary yard work
They won't be collecting leaves, grass clippings, branches, etc. until they get this settled. So if you're not prepared to store them somewhere, the City is asking you to leave unnecessary yard work - like pruning and trimming - until the strike is settled.
4) DON'T place anything at the curb
It won't be taken away.
5) DON'T use city litter bins
Those containers that are all over Toronto won't be emptied. In 2002, people stuffed them so full of trash, they overflowed, causing even more trouble. The City is asking you to refrain from using them at all during the walkout and has taped them up, placing signs with big red letters on them that read "Temporarily Out Of Service. Please Do Not Litter."
6) DON'T put out big items or recycling
Normally, the city will take away fridges, TVs, stoves, etc. Not now. Don't put them, or your blue bin with recyclables, out until the strike ends.
7) DON'T panic
In 2002, there seemed to be what can only be called a "garbage frenzy," when some people went into a bizarre panic about getting rid of their trash, leading to lots of illegal dumping. And that one only lasted 16 days.
Ironically, seven years later, garbage pick-up is only every other week, so chances are you'd be keeping it for at least 14 days anyway. Another week likely won't make that much difference - especially if the workers are eventually ordered back by Queen's Park, which is what happened in 2002.
Apartment residents
Collection for most apartment buildings is contracted out and will go on, despite the strike. Take your garbage to where you normally dispose of it. The city is warning supers to put it into front load steel containers only and to have it ready the night before and potentially on different days, since collection times will change.
To see what services will be available at your building,
click here.
Day Cares/Summer Camps
This is the second biggest effect and a bigger dilemma in many ways than the garbage. All 57 city-run day cares will be shut down for the duration, as well as Toronto-based summer camps. Other day cares won't be affected so if you're not at a city owned facility, you should be O.K.
If not, you'll have to make, as some at City Hall have suggested, "other arrangements" - although exactly what those may be are far from clear.
See the list of all of the affected city-run places them here
City swimming pools/splash pads
The strike has left them high and dry, just in time for the summer heat. All city run swimming pools, both indoor and outdoor, will be closed for the duration. So will outdoor wading pools and splash pads. Only a very few of the latter that are operated on timers will still operate and only if they don't require any maintenance.
Beaches
They can't close these down, but there won't be any testing done to make sure there's no bacteria build-up. So swim at your own risk. Lifeguards will still be on duty if you decide to take the chance.
Paramedics
They won't all be off the job but only true emergencies will get priority. And while staffing will be reduced, they won't disappear because lives are at stake.
Parking Permits
You need one to leave your car in a certain spot, but the people who issue them will be parking themselves on a picket line. What can you do? The City says you won't be liable for any parking tickets issued during the strike, but you won't be able to clear them until the labour disruption is over.
Keep in mind, these are for parking permit areas only - you'll still be fined if you park illegally anywhere else and that one you will still have to pay.
Parks
Parks will be opened for what City Hall calls "casual use" but whether you'll want really want to use them as the strike drags on is another matter. There will be no grass cutting, maintenance or garbage taken away from containers in them until the work stoppage is over.
You won't be able to use tennis courts, outdoor sports fields, or have any ceremonies or events there. Plan to take a wedding pic in a local park? Put the lens cap back on. Those permits are cancelled, too.
And oh yeah - and this could be important, depending on where you end up: washroom facilities in the parks won't be open for, well, business.
City Golf Courses
You won't be able to putter around - or putter a round - at any city run golf course.
See the list here.
Civic Centres/Arenas
You're in luck if you depend on some that are run by management and not union members. They'll stay open.
Here's the list of the places that will still operate during the strike.
Open Arenas
George Bell Arena
Larry Grossman Forest Hill Memorial Arena
McCormick Playground Arena
Moss Park Arena
North Toronto Memorial Arena
Ted Reeve Community Arena
William H. Bolton Arena
Lakeshore Lions Arena
Weston Lions Recreational Arena
Open Civic Centres
519 Church St.
Applegrove Community Complex
Cecil Street Community Centre
Central Eglinton Community Centre
Community Centre 55
Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre
Harbourfront Community Centre
Ralph Thornton Community Centre
Scadding Court Community Centre (pool closed)
Swansea Town Hall
Be sure to check with each one before you go to see if there are any cancellations to scheduled programs. If it's not on the list, don't go. It won't be in operation.
Restricted Civic Centres
City Hall, North York Civic Centre, Metro Hall, York Civic Centre and Scarborough Civic Centre will only let you into the ground floor and only from 8am-4:30pm. And there could be pickets in place outside so keep that in mind.
Closed Civic Centres
If you regularly use the facilities at East York and Etobicoke Civic Centres, look elsewhere. Both will be closed.
Wedding Chapels
Open
What a way to start a new life! The wedding chapel at Toronto City Hall will be open for knot tying from Monday to Saturday during regular business hours. It's the only place that will accept new bookings during the strike.
The North York Civic Centre chamber will be open, but only if you'd already arranged to use it.
Closed
You won't be hearing "Here Comes the Bride" at the following facilities:
Scarborough Civic Centre
East York Civic Centre
York Civic Centres
Attractions
Say goodbye to any city-run museums, art galleries or other cultural attractions during the strike. Greenhouses and conservatories are off limits, too. So is Riverdale Farm, although the animals will be looked after.
Any special city-run events set for Nathan Phillips Square, Mel Lastman Square or Metro Square will be gone, as well. Non-City events are a go on a case-by-case basis, provided organizers can prove they can pull it off without any help from civic workers.
Parking Tickets/Taxes
There may be a strike, but you won't be getting a break on either one of these. The City still expects you to pay both on time or face the penalties. Your taxes are due on the date specified on your bill, even though you're not getting the services you're paying for.
If you get a ticket, you won't be able to state your case at the following facilities:
Metro Hall
55 John St.
North York Civic Centre
5100 Yonge St.
York Civic Centre
2700 Eglinton Ave. W.
Only the location at 1530 Markham Rd., at Milner Ave. will be open if you need to request a trial, dispute the fine or pay it off. Hours will be extended from 8am-6pm Monday-Friday, but since it will be the only game in town, expect long delays. Which may mean putting extra time on your parking meter slip, so you don't end up with another ticket.
You can still make payments
online here or call
(416) 397-TAGS (8247) 24 hours a day.
Or you can snail mail your payment to:
City of Toronto, Parking Tags
Box 4282,
Postal Station A,
Toronto M5W 5W5
Water Bills
There's no shut off from paying these on time, either. Use the automated phone system at
(416) 397-READ (7323) or go
online here to register your usage.
Water Quality & Flooding
The city will monitor all water quality during the strike. It will also respond to emergencies involving flooded basements, roads, sewer back-ups or no water at all. Call
(416) 338-0338 if you have a problem.
Trees
There have been a lot of instances over the past few years where rotten trees have blown down, especially during fierce summertime storms. Inspectors will be able to address these issues, but only for City-owned trees and only in the event of an emergency.
Roads
Get used to any existing potholes. They won't be fixed during the strike. Repairs to roads, sidewalks and city highways are all gone until they fix up the CUPE contract. There will be limited service but only in an emergency.
Licenses
Whatever you need permission for you won't be able to get it. All permits, including those for building or construction, and licences for anything involving businesses, trade or vehicles won't be issued until the strike ends.
Homeless Shelters
All nine city-run shelters will still operate during the strike, with the exception of the Adelaide Women's Resource Centre. But some may have limited or reduced service.
Animal Services
It's emergencies only for our four legged friends, although the following shelters will be open 12:30pm-3:30pm Monday-Saturday.
146 The East Mall,
1300 Sheppard Ave.
821 Progress Ave.
You won't be able to renew your pet's licence while CUPE is out.
Island Ferry/Porter Airlines
You can't get to the Island while the strike is on. Residents who live there will be told of special arrangements for getting back and forth. Porter Airlines won't be affected. It has its own shuttle service to and from the Toronto Island Airport.
Other
If you have any questions about any service mentioned - or not mentioned - in our survival guide, call Access Toronto 24/7 at
(416) 338-0338 or
click here to see the city's website.