Toronto Launches Expanded Keep Toronto Beautiful Campaign Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026™
Keep Toronto Beautiful campaign targets parks, streets and public spaces across the city
TORONTO — The City of Toronto is launching an expanded version of its Keep Toronto Beautiful initiative this spring, beginning earlier than last year as the city prepares to welcome visitors for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Mayor Olivia Chow and Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik joined frontline City crews on May 2 to officially launch the second annual campaign, which will focus on cleaning, repairing and refreshing high-traffic public spaces across Toronto from May through October.
The initiative will include eight Saturday cleaning blitzes across targeted areas of the city, supported by up to 400 City staff in addition to regular daily maintenance operations.
Focus on Public Spaces and Community Well-Being
According to the City, the campaign aims to improve the appearance, cleanliness and safety of parks, streets and public spaces while helping residents feel more connected to their neighbourhoods.
Mayor Chow said clean public spaces contribute directly to quality of life across the city.
“When our public spaces are clean, safe and welcoming, everyone benefits,” Chow said in a statement. “Keep Toronto Beautiful is about more than maintenance. It is about taking pride in our city, improving our neighbourhoods and making sure people feel comfortable and connected in the places they live, work and gather.”
Today we’re kicking off our first cleaning blitz of the year and have hundreds of staff sweeping streets, fixing potholes, cleaning up litter, and getting Toronto ready for summer! ✨
News release: https://t.co/s9lH3F80Tx pic.twitter.com/EucNTCGVSK
— City of Toronto 🇨🇦 (@cityoftoronto) May 2, 2026
What the Campaign Includes
City crews will focus on a range of maintenance and beautification efforts, including:
- Graffiti, litter and weed removal
- Tree and turfgrass maintenance
- Cleaning catch basins
- Street and laneway sweeping
- Pothole and bike lane repairs
- Crosswalk and pavement repainting
- Illegal dumping enforcement and cleanup
- Installation and maintenance of waste bins
The City says locations for the blitzes are selected using data from 311 requests and daily maintenance patrols.
Residents are encouraged to continue reporting issues through the City’s 311 mobile app and online portal.
Building on Last Year’s Results
Toronto officials say the inaugural 2025 campaign mobilized approximately 2,000 staff and 1,100 vehicles over five blitzes, producing significant maintenance results beyond standard operations.
Among the reported accomplishments:
- More than 5,000 potholes repaired
- More than 1,000 tonnes of debris removed
- 20 kilometres of pavement markings repainted
- 3,000 square metres of graffiti removed
- 260 tonnes of illegal dumping cleared
Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik said the initiative is especially important as Toronto prepares to host visitors during the FIFA World Cup.
“This work supports quality of life for residents now and helps ensure our community is ready to proudly welcome visitors from around the world in the years ahead,” Malik said.
Toronto will host six FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches next summer, including the first-ever men’s FIFA World Cup™ match played on Canadian soil.
Stay with GTA Today for continued coverage of Toronto municipal initiatives and FIFA World Cup 2026™ developments across the GTA.
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