Community Knowledge Centre - Toronto Community Foundation

Impact on Toronto:

Toronto has a long way to go towards re-establishing a healthy urban environment. Our city faces daunting challenges in upgrading aging infrastructure, improving air quality, and diverting residential waste.

Why it matters:

Clean air and water, uncontaminated soil, and green spaces are essential to healthy living. Greening Toronto ensures a healthy city for our children’s future.

• Toronto’s poorest neighbourhoods had higher concentrations of air pollutants than in other areas of the city.
• Nearly a quarter of Toronto’s water mains are over 80 years old.
• Toronto diverted 44% of its residential waste in 2008, up 2% from 2007, but still well below the 2010 goal of 70%.
• In 2004, Toronto had 12 farmers’ markets. Today, there are close to 30.