Frustrated Point Douglas residents say city needs to crack down on 'huge problem' of illegal dumping
Dumping in neighbourhood is 'disrespectful in the most profound and egregious way': residents' committee chair
Residents in Winnipeg's Point Douglas neighbourhood say they're fed up with overflowing garbage bins and illegal dumping, and say more needs to be done to stop it.
Dozens of people in the north Winnipeg neighbourhood took the problem into their own hands Saturday, spending a morning cleaning up garbage in the community.
"It's a constant problem and there are definite hot spots" where people dump all types of garbage, said Catherine Flynn, acting chair of the Point Douglas Residents Committee.
"We have foundation remains. We have furniture. We have what obviously is the remains of an entire apartment," she said. "We found an animal carcass one year."
Flynn says residents are now often stumbling across huge piles of garbage that are clearly the result of illegal dumping, but the city doesn't seem to be taking the issue seriously. That's what led to Saturday's cleanup, she said, which began at Michaëlle Jean Park, between Main Street and the Red River.
"We're just a little tired of waiting."
On top of illegal dumping, there's also the issue of debris that blows around from overflowing garbage bins that aren't emptied often enough, said Flynn, and there are remnants from encampments along the riverbank each spring.
"It's unimaginable what you see here," she said.
"We've got this beautiful park.… We've got a really passionate, dedicated residents' committee and we work really, really hard, and for people to come in here and dump their stuff is disrespectful in the most profound and egregious way."
Christine Kirouac, who lives in the area and is on the Point Douglas Environment Committee, said illegal dumping often happens at night. She'd like to see cameras placed around hot spots for dumping.
"It's a huge, huge problem that the city needs to … address in terms of policies and looking at the North End and Point Douglas as being very different than the rest of the city," she said.
"We need to be dealing with things differently here than your protocol for St. James [or] Charleswood."
Kirouac said residents have been pushing the city to install signs around hot spots to remind people that dumping is illegal and there are fines for breaking the bylaw, but there's been no progress.
"It makes me feel angry and helpless in a lot of ways," she said. "This can't be allowed."
Kirouac said her committee hopes to meet with the mayor to discuss the issue.
Kevin Abraham just moved back to Point Douglas a few weeks ago. He said every day, he steps outside to find the bin in front of his building overflowing.
"The garbage keeps on piling up, and it doesn't come from our building," he said.
The area was cleaned Friday, and within 24 hours garbage was piled back up high and there was a newly discarded dresser and mattress.
"One day it's clean, the next it's like this," he said. "I feel embarrassed."
Only 2 tickets issued last year
Sel Burrows has been a community advocate in Point Douglas for years, and said he is frustrated the neighbourhood continues to see an issue with people from other parts of the city coming to the area to dump their garbage.
Businesses can be among the worst offenders, he said, along with landlords who have stripped apartments they're getting ready for new tenants.
"They take some drywall down and sometimes furniture, and they just go and … dump it on the riverbank. It's really unacceptable."
Burrows encourages anyone who sees illegal dumping to take down a licence plate number and report it.
He said recently, someone was caught illegally dumping while driving a company-branded vehicle. The company owner was shocked when the incident was reported and came out to clean it up the next day, Burrows said.
Part of the solution is more eyes on the street and people within the community stepping up, as they did Saturday, said Burrows.
The City of Winnipeg says people are encouraged to call 311 and file a report when they see garbage or construction debris dumped on streets, public property or on another person's private property, which could help bylaw officers investigate.
A spokesperson said it is helpful if the caller can provide a description of the offender and their vehicle, along with a licence plate. Reporting what was dumped, along with any photographic evidence, also helps, the spokesperson said.
There is a fine for illegal dumping, but the city said no tickets have been issued this year.
Last year, only two tickets were handed out and none were given in 2021.
The fine for large-scale dumping of garbage is $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for corporations, with the fines halved if paid early.
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