Erin residents frustrated with lack of action from town on littering

ERIN – Residents on the 10th Line in Erin have banded together in an effort to stop constant littering on their road – an issue they say the town is not taking seriously.

“It’s just getting out of control,” said resident Andre Leclerc. “We don’t feel we’re getting any cooperation from the [town] to put an end to this.”

Leclerc is one of 12 10th-Line residents included in a WhatsApp group focused on managing the dumping of trash along the road between Wellington roads 124 and 22.

Soon after the group’s creation, 10th Line resident Dana Brajkovich said neighbours started to notice an increase in trash in the ditches, something she attributes to a nearby development.

While neighbours pitch in to keep the road clean, Brajkovich says it is Leclerc who has “really championed the cause.”

Leclerc used to scour the ditches for trash on a yearly basis. However, once a year tuned into twice a year, then three times annually – and it eventually evolved into a weekly chore.

“With ... more population coming in, I’m doing it every week,” said Leclerc.

“I’m pulling the regular stuff, you know, the beer bottles, cigarettes, Tim Hortons, fast food. And more so now, you’ll get construction material.”

In the last few months, items pulled out of 10th Line ditches by Leclerc include: building materials, a fridge, sinks, boards and posts, and toilets.

Whatever Leclerc can’t collect with his ATV and small trailer, he will bring to the side of the road and call the town.

And while the roads department has been efficient at taking away the trash, Leclerc says simply removing it is not solving the issue.

“I called them up [the town] and said, ‘Enough is enough. Somebody’s got to investigate this garbage, find the culprits and put an end to it,’” said Leclerc. 

He was directed to contact Town of Erin bylaw officer Martyna Sliwiak, but he said she never responds to calls or emails.

He acknowledged town officials did respond to written complaints submitted by 10th Line residents by installing a “no dumping” sign, but residents say it is far too small.

“The sign is like the size of a post card,” said Brajkovich. “It has a dump truck that actually doesn’t even look like a dump truck that has a cross through it, which is ridiculous.”

She added, “I’ve never felt so much anger.”

Leclerc has also contacted the Credit Valley Conservation authority (CVC) as some of the trash was dumped into waterways surrounding the road. 

“Nobody wants to communicate or help us,” said Leclerc, noting he has also struggled to receive a response from the CVC.

The Advertiser tried to contact Sliwiak at the town but received no response. 

Town clerk Nina Lecic said if 10th Line residents “want updates, or if they would like to understand how long it’s going to take to address a file, there’s certainly more staff available to them, for them to contact, and we’d be happy to provide updates or see how we could assist them.”

Lecic confirmed an investigation is underway into the trash dumping, noting the town will “deal with the issue accordingly.”

However, “Ongoing investigations ... are confidential. And so bylaw officers won’t normally ... provide updates on files as they are happening, because those are all confidential,” she said.

“It’s highly confidential information. And typically what happens is that you get an update once a file has been processed and closed.” 

Lecic also noted that the timely response to littering on the 10th Line is “a result of us coordinating that internally. 

“So bylaw [officials] working with public works really actively.”