What to know<\/p>\n
Brad Bradford says Toronto is becoming visibly dirtier, pointing to areas like Union Station and arguing existing litter fines aren\u2019t being enforced.<\/p>\n
He links the issue to the \u201cbroken windows\u201d theory, suggesting visible neglect can lead to broader disorder and safety concerns.<\/p>\n
Residents are split: some support stricter enforcement and cleaner streets, while others criticize the timing and political intent behind his message.<\/p>\n
A lot of people feel like Toronto is getting dirtier, and not in a fun way \u2013 but some residents are questioning the motives of a local politician who is speaking out on the issue.<\/p>\n
Mayoral candidate<\/a> and city councillor Brad Bradford has people talking about the cleanliness in the city, or lack thereof.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bradford, who is the councillor for Toronto\u2019s Ward 19, Beaches\u2013East York, took to social media to post a video in which he shares his opinion that the city is getting dirtier.<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n \u201cIf you feel like Toronto is getting dirtier, you\u2019re not imagining it. Toronto used to be described as New York City run by the Swiss, but it doesn\u2019t feel that way anymore,\u201d he says in the clip.<\/p>\n \u201cJust yesterday somebody told me about how much more litter they\u2019re seeing on the streets of Toronto, and you know what? It matters. Because when a place looks neglected, it feels neglected,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt starts to feel like nobody cares about our public places, and that\u2019s when the disorder starts to set in.\u201d<\/p>\n Bradford shared that this is becoming common in Downtown Toronto, saying that this is the \u201cbroken windows \u201d theory in action. The controversial and frequently debated theory, coined in 1982 by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, refers to the idea that visible signs of crime and social disorder, such as broken windows, litter and graffiti, can create an environment which encourages more severe crime.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the video, Bradford shows scenes of litter on the streets and sidewalks outside of Union Station.<\/p>\n If it feels like Toronto is getting dirtier, you\u2019re not imagining it, and it matters.<\/p>\n Clean streets aren\u2019t a luxury, they\u2019re a basic standard, and it\u2019s time City Hall gets back to focusing on what people see and experience every day. pic.twitter.com\/cHsyZkSXUy<\/a><\/p>\n