The first official 'Day of Action on Litter' in Ontario will be May 12, 2020

NEWS RELEASE

MPP ANDREA KHANJIN

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On Nov. 6, 2019, Minister of Finance Rod Phillips announced in this year’s Fall Economic Statement (FES) that the government has proposed, through legislation, the first-ever established “Day of Action on Litter in Ontario.”

Establishing this day in Ontario is a key commitment of the Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan. Ontario’s “Day of Action on Litter” will focus on bringing together municipalities, schools, organizations, and businesses and will also include a strong educational campaign to raise awareness across the province of the impacts of litter and waste.

Through consultations with the public, we know that the people of Ontario are committed to reducing litter and want increased opportunities to get involved in waste reduction. The government is supportive of those who demonstrate environmental stewardship and recognizes that we each have a responsibility to protect our environment and keep our air, land and water clean and healthy.

The initiative for this day was introduced in May of 2019, when Andrea Khanjin, MPP of Barrie-Innisfil, tabled her Private Member’s Bill entitled “Combatting Litter for the Environment and Nature Act.”

In October of 2019, Khanjin joined Jeff Yurek, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, at Innisfil Beach Park, to announce that the government was following through on the commitment to establish the first official “Day of Action on Litter” in Ontario on every second Tuesday of May, starting May 12, 2020.

“Witnessing our government acting on its promises of protecting our environment and establishing my private member’s bill initiative are all part of realizing the bigger vision to keep Ontario clean and healthy,” said MPP Khanjin. “Raising awareness of how much waste we produce will highlight the importance of working together across the province. This day of action and the modernization of the Blue Box Program will give Ontarians the chance to participate in keeping the province clean in the now and for future generations to come.”

By establishing an official “Day of Action on Litter,” the government is taking an important step forward in keeping our province clean and beautiful. It will also help encourage shoreline and other clean-up projects for plastic litter and pollution from our land and waterways.

Day of Action on Litter in Ontario (p.103)

Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan

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