Brampton resident expresses concern about abandoned shopping carts found in the area

Expressing concern about the abandoned shopping carts found in the area, a Brampton resident says some people are abandoning shopping carts kilometres away from grocery stores and dumping them in trails and waterways around her neighbourhood.

Stacie Stuart has been a resident of the Duncan Foster Valley South area for the last seven years and says she has noticed an increase in abandoned carts taken from the local FreshCo and Shoppers Drug Mart along the road in streams and other areas.

Stuart said, “Most notably, numerous carts have been dumped in the trail system that runs through the Duncan Foster Valley South area.This waterway is home to abundant wildlife including beavers, fish, turtles and great blue herons, to name a few.”

She added that it’s a complete “lack of respect for the environment” and brings down the esthetic of the neighbourhood.

“I have tried contact 3-1-1 and even filled out the abandoned shopping cart form on the city’s website, but nothing is being done and it seems every week more carts are popping up,” Stuart said.

Spokesperson for the City of Brampton Natalie Stogdill said the city responds to complaints about shopping carts being abandoned as long as they are on city properties.

She added that the city only received one complaint in 2017 about shopping carts left near a transit shelter. The store owner was contacted, she says, and arrangements were made for pick up.

The city says staff can also enforce and lay charges if someone is found dumping carts on public or private property.

“It's like a shopping cart graveyard down there,” Stuart said. “This is not to mention that carts that people leave along the sidewalk on Clarkway Blvd."

It is on City of Brampton website, "If the abandoned shopping cart presents a potential hazard or you are unsure whose property it is on, please call 311 within Brampton or 905-874-2000."

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