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THE CITY OF VAUGHAN
BY-LAW
DUMPING
(Consolidated Version - Enacted as By-law 103-2020)
Last consolidated on April 4, 2025. City of Vaughan by-laws are
provided online for convenient public reference. By-laws are
consolidated on an ongoing basis, but recent amendments
may not be reflected in the latest consolidated version. Check
the Amendment History to get a complete listing of all pertinent
regulations. For further information contact the Office of the
Director and Chief Licensing Officer.
A By-law to prohibit dumping of waste on public and private property, require
owners of private property to maintain such property free of waste, and to repeal
by-laws 263-2001 and 3-2004 and their corresponding amendments.
WHEREAS the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c.25, Subsection 8(1) provides that the
powers of a municipality under the Act be interpreted broadly so as to confer broad
authority on municipalities to enable municipalities to govern their affairs, as they
consider appropriate, and enhance their ability to respond to municipal issues;
AND WHEREAS the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c.25, Subsection 8(3) provides for
by-laws under sections 10 and 11 respecting a matter, to regulate or prohibit respecting
the matter, and require persons to do things respecting the matter;
AND WHEREAS the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c.25, Sections 10 and 11 provide
for a municipality to pass by-laws respecting the health, safety and well-being of
persons, the protection of persons and property, and the economic, social and
environmental well-being of the municipality;
AND WHEREAS the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O. 2001, c.25, Section 127 provides for a
municipality to (a) require the owner or occupant of land to clean and clear the land, not
including buildings, or to clear refuse or debris from the land, not including buildings; (b)
regulate when and how matters required under clause (a) shall be done; and (c) prohibit
the depositing of refuse or debris on land without the consent of the owner or occupant
of the land.
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AND WHEREAS section 128 of the Municipal Act, provides that a local municipality
may prohibit and regulate with respect to public nuisances, including matters that, in the
opinion of Council are or could become or cause public nuisances;
AND WHEREAS section 398 of the Municipal Act, provides for fees and charges
imposed by a municipality on a person to constitute a debt of the person and for the
municipality to add such fees and charges to the tax roll and collect them in the same
manner as municipal taxes;
AND WHEREAS subsection 434.1(1) of the Municipal Act, provides for a municipality to
require a person, subject to such conditions as the municipality considers appropriate,
to pay an administrative penalty if the municipality is satisfied that the person has failed
to comply with a by-law of the municipality passed under the Act;
AND WHEREAS sections 444 and 445 of the Municipal Act, provide for a municipality
to make an order to discontinue a contravening activity or correct a contravention, with
either order setting out particulars of the contravention and the date by which
compliance must be achieved;
AND WHEREAS section 15 of the Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P. 33
provides for persons appointed as municipal law enforcement officers by a municipal
council to be peace officers for purposes of enforcing municipal by-laws;
AND WHEREAS subsection 15(2) of the Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P. 15
provides that Municipal law enforcement officers are peace officers for the purpose of
enforcing municipal by-laws;
AND WHEREAS the opinion of Council of the Corporation of the City of Vaughan is that
unauthorized dumping of waste and littering is a public nuisance that can adversely
affect the health, safety and well-being of persons as well as have a detrimental impact
on both the natural and built environment;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of The Corporation of the City of Vaughan enacts as
follows:
Table of Contents
1.0 Authority and Short Title .......................................................................................... 3
2.0 Applicability and Scope ............................................................................................ 3
3.0 Definitions and Interpretation .................................................................................. 4
4.0 Dumping and Littering Prohibited ........................................................................... 5
5.0 Owner Responsible .................................................................................................. 6
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6.0 Bins and Storage ...................................................................................................... 6
7.0 Inspections and Right of Access ............................................................................. 6
8.0 Notice to Comply ...................................................................................................... 7
9.0 Presumption .............................................................................................................. 7
10.0 Administrative Penalties ........................................................................................ 8
11.0 Fines ........................................................................................................................ 8
12.0 Failure to Comply; Removal by City; Costs .......................................................... 9
13.0 Severability .............................................................................................................. 9
14.0 Transition ................................................................................................................ 9
15.0 Repeal and Amendment of Other By-laws .......................................................... 10
15.1 Designated By-law ............................................................................................... 10
16.0 Force and Effect ................................................................................................... 10
1.0 Authority and Short Title
(1)
This By-law shall be known and referenced as the "Dumping By-law."
2.0 Applicability and Scope
(1)
This By-law applies to all Property, including Public Lands, within the
jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Vaughan.
(2)
This By-law does not apply to:
(a)
Collectible Waste, Resource Materials, Recyclable Materials, and
Residual Waste in accordance with the provisions of Waste Collection By-
law 135-2017; [Amended by section (1)(c) of By-law 018-2025 on
February 25, 2025]
(b)
Waste discarded into municipal or other receptacles intended for the
purpose of the disposal of said Waste;
(c)
earth or rock fill under a permit in accordance with the provisions of Fill
By-law 189-96; [Amended by section (1)(c) of By-law 018-2025 on
February 25, 2025]
(d)
areas zoned Disposal Industrial (M5) in accordance with the provisions of
Zoning By-law 1-88. [Amended by section (1)(c) of By-law 018-2025 on
February 25, 2025]
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(3)
Where any provision of this By-law is in conflict with a provision of any other City
by-law, the more restrictive provision shall prevail.
3.0 Definitions and Interpretation
(1)
In this By-law, unless the context otherwise requires, words imparting the singular
number shall include the plural, and words imparting the masculine gender shall
include the feminine and further, the converse of the foregoing also applies where
the context requires. [Added by section (1)(b) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25,
2025]
(2)
Wherever a word is used in this By-law with its first letter capitalized and the whole
word italicized, the term is being used as it is defined in 3.0(4) of this By-law.
Where any word appears in ordinary case, the commonly applied English
language meaning is intended. [Added by section (1)(b) of By-law 018-2025 on
February 25, 2025]
(3)
Any reference to a statute, regulation, by-law or other legislation shall include such
statute, regulation, by-law or legislation as amended, re-enacted, replaced, or
superseded. [Added by section (1)(b) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(4)
In this By-law:
"Administrative Penalties By-law" refers to the City's Administrative
Penalties By-law 240-2024; [Added by section (1)(a) of By-law 018-2025 on
February 25, 2025]
"Boulevard" means that part of a Highway that is not used, or intended to be
used, for vehicular travel by the general public, and is situated between the
travelled portion of the road and the adjoining property line including the 0.3-
metre reserve where applicable;
"City" means the Corporation of the City of Vaughan, in the Regional
Municipality of York;
"Collectible Waste" has the same meaning as the same term in Waste
Collection By-law 135-2017; [Amended by section (1)(c) of By-law 018-
2025 on February 25, 2025]
"Director" means the Chief Licensing Officer and Director, By-law and
Compliance, Licensing and Permits Services for the City of Vaughan, or his or
her designate.
"Dumping" means throwing, placing, depositing Waste;
"Highway" means a common and public highway, any part of which is intended
for or used by the general public for the passage of vehicles and pedestrians
and includes the area between the property lines thereof;
"Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer" means a Person appointed as a Municipal
By-law Enforcement Officer, pursuant to section 15 of the Police Services Act,
R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15 or section 55 of the Community Safety and Policing Act,
2019, S.O. 2019, c. 1, Sched. 1, to enforce the provisions of this By-law;
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[Amended by section (1)(e) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
"Notice" means direction provided by the City, its employees or agents,
including a Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer, and also includes an order
as provided for under sections 444 and 445 of the Municipal Act, 2001 S.O.
2001, c.25; [Amended by section (1)(f) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25,
2025]
"Owner" includes:
(a) the Person having the right, title, interest or equity in the land, or his or her
agent authorized in writing;
(b) the Person for the time being managing or receiving the rent of the land or
premises in connection with which the word is used, whether on the
person's own account or as agent or trustee of any other Person, or who
would receive the rent if the land and premises were let;
(c)
a lessee or occupant of the Property who, under the terms of a lease,
is required to repair and maintain the Property.
"Person" means an individual person, a partnership, or a corporation to which
the context can apply;
"Property" means a building or structure or part of a building or structure, and
includes the lands and premises appurtenant thereto and all mobile homes,
mobile buildings, mobile structures, outbuildings, fences and erections thereon
whether heretofore or hereafter erected, and includes Vacant Land, but does
not include a dwelling unit.
"Public Lands" means lands owned by the City, and shall include but not be
limited to the Boulevard, any Highway, lane, alley, square, place, viaduct or
trestle, water way or bridge, park, woodland, greenbelt, storm water
management facility, open space, municipal golf course or cemetery, and all
parts thereof, including any surface, grassed area, boulevard, ditch, curb,
gutter and sidewalk, but does not include property owned by the Regional,
Provincial, Federal Government, a Crown Corporation, Hydro, Utility or
Railway Company;
"Recyclable Materials" has the same meaning as the same term in Waste
Collection By-law 135-2017; [Amended by section (1)(c) of By-law 018-2025 on
February 25, 2025]
"Residual Waste" has the same meaning as the same term in Waste
Collection By-law 135-2017; [Amended by section (1)(c) of By-law 018-
2025 on February 25, 2025]
"Resource Materials" has the same meaning as the same term in Waste
Collection By-law 135-2017; [Amended by section (1)(c) of By-law 018-2025
on February 25, 2025]
"Road Allowance" means Public Lands situated along a Highway and
between the private property lines on either side of that Highway;
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"Vacant Land" means a Property that does not have a building or
structure;
"Waste" includes, but is not limited to the following: refuse, rubbish, junk, or
disused material of any kind whatsoever; a motor vehicle that is or appears to
be, by reason of its age, appearance, mechanical condition or lack of licence
plates, inoperative; inoperative mechanical equipment; automotive and
mechanical parts; disused furniture, appliances and fixtures; old clothing;
garden refuse (but not including clippings from grass and weeds); earth or rock
fill; old or decayed lumber; material from construction or demolition projects;
materials or structures apparently disused in their existing location; any article
that is discarded or otherwise appears abandoned; septic tank liquid, wet and
dry sewage disposal sludge, contents of privy vaults, cesspools and holding
tanks for human excrement; paper, packaging materials, handbills; pathological
waste, including carcass or remains of any dead animal; human or animal waste
of any kind. [Amended by section 1 of By-law 131-2021 on October 20, 2021.]
4.0 Dumping and Littering Prohibited
(1)
No Person shall Dump or cause, permit or allow Dumping to take place on any
Property or Public Lands, Waste of any kind, unless permitted by another City by-
law or legislation.
(2)
No Person shall discharge or cause, permit or allow the leaking/discharge of any
engine, transmission fluid, petroleum products/fluids or any other fluids, liquids or
similar materials onto any Property or Public Lands, unless permitted by another
City by-law or legislation.
(3)
No Person shall deliver, throw, drop or place, or cause, permit or allow the
delivery, throwing, dropping or placing of any newspaper, magazine, flyer, leaflet
or similar device if the Owner has provided explicit direction not to do so.
5.0 Owner Responsible
(1)
Every Owner shall keep his or her Property free of Waste.
(2)
The Owner of any Property shall clean and clear said Property and the Boulevard
directly adjacent to his or her Property. [Amended by section 1.(b) of By-law 165-
2020 on November 17, 2020.] [Amended by section 1. of By-law 128-2022 on
June 28, 2022.]
(3)
No Owner shall place, or cause, permit or allow to be placed, snow or ice from
his or her Property or from the Boulevard directly adjacent to his or her Property,
by any means, onto a Highway.
(4)
Upon Notice from the City, the Owner of any Property that is not in compliance
with Section 5.0, shall, by the date indicated in said Notice, bring the Property
into compliance with this Section at the Owner's expense. [Replaced by section 2
of By-law 131-2021 on October 20, 2021.]
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6.0 Bins and Storage
(1)
No Person shall place, or cause or permit to place, construction or waste bins, or
any construction materials on Public Lands, including anywhere on the Road
Allowance, without first obtaining written permission from the City. [Amended by
section 1.(a) of By-law 165-2020 on November 17, 2020.]
(2)
Upon Notice from the City, the Owner of any Property relating to a contravention
of 6.0(1) shall forthwith remedy such contravention, including but not limited to
the removal of bins, materials or other items from Public Lands, at his or her
expense.
(3)
Upon failure to comply with a Notice under 6.0(2), the Director may deem a
construction or waste bin or any construction materials on Public Lands, including
anywhere on the Road Allowance, to have been abandoned and to be Waste.
7.0 Inspections and Right of Access
(1)
A Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer and any Person acting under the
Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer's instructions may, without a warrant,
enter and inspect a Property to determine:
(a)
whether the Property conforms with the requirements prescribed in this By-
law; or
(b)
whether a Notice made under this By-law has been complied with.
[Amended by section (1)(f) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(2)
Where the inspection is conducted by the Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer or
any Person acting under the Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer's instructions,
the Person conducting the inspection may:
(a)
require the production for inspection of documents or things relevant to the
inspection;
(b)
inspect and remove documents or things relevant to the inspection for the
purpose of making copies or extracts;
(c)
require information from any Person concerning a matter related to the
inspection including their name, address, phone number and identification;
(d)
alone or in conjunction with a Person possessing special or expert
knowledge, make examinations or take tests, samples or photographs
necessary for the purposes of the inspection; and
(e)
order the Owner of the Property to take and supply at the Owner's expense
such tests and samples as are specified. [Amended by section (1)(f) of By-
law 018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
8.0 Notice to Comply
(1)
A Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer who finds a contravention of this By-law
may give written Notice to the Owner of the Property, structure or thing, as
described in subsection 5.0(4) or 6.0(2), requiring immediate compliance with
this By-law and/or to do work to correct the contravention of this By-law within
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the time period specified in the Notice. [Amended by section (1)(f) of By-law
018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(2)
The Notice in 8.0(1) may be served personally on the Person to whom it is
directed or by registered mail to the last known address of that person, in which
case it shall be deemed to have been given on the fifth day after it is mailed.
[Replaced by section 3 of By-law 131-2021 on October 20, 2021.]
(3)
If there is evidence that the Person in possession of the Property is not the
registered Property Owner, the Notice in 8.0(1) shall be served on both the
registered Property Owner and the Person in possession of the Property.
(4)
If the address of the Owner is unknown, or the City is unable to effect service on
the Owner or occupant under section 8.0(2), a placard stating the terms of the
Notice in 8.0(1), and placed in a conspicuous place upon the land on or near the
Property, structure or thing, shall be deemed to be sufficient notice to the Owner.
9.0 Presumption
(1)
Where Waste is thrown, dumped, placed, or deposited from a vehicle, the owner
of the vehicle shall be presumed to have been the person who threw, placed,
dumped or deposited the Waste, which presumption may be rebutted by
evidence to the contrary on a balance of probabilities.
(2)
Where Waste is thrown, dumped, placed, or deposited and the nature of the
Waste, any markings on the Waste, or other evidence with respect to the Waste,
reasonably indicates its origin, the Owner of the Property of the Waste's origin
shall be presumed to have been the Person who threw, placed, dumped or
deposited the Waste, which presumption may be rebutted by evidence to the
contrary on a balance of probabilities.
10.0 Administrative Penalties
(1)
Instead of laying a charge under the Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990,
Chapter P.33 for a breach of any provisions of this By-law or failure to comply
with a Notice under this By-law, a Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer may
issue an administrative penalty to the Person who has contravened this By-law.
[Amended by sections (1)(c), (1)(f) and (1)(h) of By-law 018-2025 on February
25, 2025]
(2)
If a Person is required to pay an administrative penalty under section 10.0(1),
no charge shall be laid against that same Person for the same contravention.
[Amended by section (1)(h) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(3)
The amount of the administrative penalty for a first breach under this By-law is
$500.00. [Amended by section 1. of By-law 204-2023 on December 12, 2023]
[Amended by sections (1)(c) and (1)(h) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25,
2025]
(4)
A Person who is issued an administrative penalty shall be subject to the
procedures provided for in the Administrative Penalties By-law. [Amended by
sections (1)(c), (1)(h) and (1)(g) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
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(5)
An administrative penalty imposed on a Person that becomes a debt to the City
under the Administrative Penalties By-law may be added to the municipal tax
roll and collected in the same manner as municipal taxes. [Amended by
sections (1)(c), (1)(h) and (1)(g) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(6)
The amount of the administrative penalty for a second and any subsequent
breach under this By-law is $1000. [Added by section 2. of By-law 204-2023
on December 12, 2023] [Amended by section (1)(h) of By-law 018-2025 on
February 25, 2025]
11.0 Fines
(1)
Every Person, including an Owner, who contravenes a provision of this By-law,
including a Notice issued under this By-law, is guilty of an offence.
(2)
Every director or officer of a corporation who knowingly concurs in the
contravention of a provision of this By-law or fails to comply with a Notice to
comply made under this By-law is guilty of an offence.
(3)
A Person who is convicted of an offence under this By-law is liable on first
conviction to a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $50,000, and is liable
on subsequent convictions to a fine of not less than $500 and not more than
$50,000.
(4)
A corporation that is convicted of an offence under this By-law is liable on first
conviction to a fine of not less than $500 and not more than $50,000, and is liable
on subsequent convictions to a fine of no less than $500 and not more than
$100,000.
(5)
If a Notice has been issued under this By-law and the Notice has not been
complied with, or an Owner has not maintained a Property free of Waste, or a
Person has discharged or caused, permitted or allowed the leaking/discharge of
substances referred to in section 4.0(2), the contravention of said Notice and/or
the failure to keep the property free of Waste and/or the discharge or causing,
permitting, or allowing the discharge of substances referred to in section 4.0(2)
shall be deemed to be continuing offences for each day or part of a day that the
Notice is not complied with, or that the Waste remains on the property, or that
Person has discharged or caused, permitted or allowed the leaking/discharge of
substances referred to in section 4.0(2), and the Person and/or Owner (as
applicable) shall be subject to a minimum fine of $500 per day and a maximum
fine not to exceed $10,000 per day, however the total of all daily fines for the
offences is not limited to $100,000.
(6)
In the case of a multiple offence, for each offence included in the multiple
offence, the minimum fine shall be $500 and the maximum fine shall not exceed
$10,000 and the total of all fines for each included offence is not limited to
$100,000.
12.0 Failure to Comply; Removal by City; Costs
(1)
If an Owner fails to comply with a Notice given under Part 8.0, the City's
representatives may enter upon the Property at any reasonable time for the
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purposes of doing the things described in the Notice.
(2)
Costs incurred by the City in doing the work in accordance with 12.0(1) may be
recovered by action or adding the costs to the tax roll and collecting them in the
same manner as taxes.
(3)
Where a contravention under 9.0(2) takes place on Public Lands, the City may
dispose of the Waste without notice and at the expense of the Owner of the
Property of the Waste's origin and may be recovered by action or adding the
costs to the tax roll and collecting them in the same manner as taxes.
13.0 Severability
(1)
Where a court of competent jurisdiction declares any section of this By-law to be
invalid, or to be not in force, or without effect, it is the intention of the Council of
the City of Vaughan in enacting this By-law that the remainder of this By-law shall
continue to be in force and applied and enforced in accordance with its terms to
the fullest extent possible according to law.
14.0 Transition
(1)
Notwithstanding the repeal of By-law 263-2001 and 3-2004, as amended
respectively, said by-laws shall continue to apply to any acts, omissions,
occurrences, or offences for which charges have been laid prior to the enactment
of this By-law.
(2)
Where a Notice, fine or other penalty has been issued under any by-law repealed
by this By-law, a Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer may issue for the
corresponding contravention a Notice, fine or other penalty under the provisions
of this By-law, with due consideration for any action taken under such previous
by-laws. [Amended by section (1)(f) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
(3)
Subject to section 14.0(1), an existing contravention of any provision of this By-
law, regardless of whether the contravention occurred prior to the enactment of
this By-law, shall be subject to all of its provisions.
(4)
Where any signage or public notice that prohibits Dumping makes reference to a
by-law other than this By-law, such signs or public notices shall be interpreted to
reference the corresponding or relevant provisions of this By-law.
15.0 Repeal and Amendment of Other By-laws
(1)
The following by-laws are hereby repealed: Debris By-law 263-2001, Littering
and Dumping By-law 3-2004, and all of their related amendments, including By-
laws 246-2003, 83-2012, 122-2015.
15.1 Designated By-law
(1)
This is a designated by-law as per Schedule 1 of the Administrative Penalties
By-law. [Added by section (1)(k) of By-law 018-2025 on February 25, 2025]
16.0 Force and Effect
(1)
This By-law shall come into force and effect on the date enacted by Council.
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Enacted by City of Vaughan Council this 29th day of June, 2020.
Hon. Maurizio Bevilacqua, Mayor
Todd Coles, City Clerk
Authorized by Item No. 24 of Report No. 20
of the Committee of the Whole
Adopted by Vaughan City Council on
May 27, 2020.
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AMENDMENT HISTORY
DUMPING BY-LAW
DATE
(YYYY/MM/DD)
BY-LAW
AUTHORITY
CONSOLIDATED
2020 /11 /17
165-2020
Item 6, Report 44, Committee of the
Whole
2021 /10 /20
131-2021
Item 7, Report 43, Committee of the
Whole
2022 /06 /28
128-2022
Item 36, Report 30, Committee of
the Whole
2023 /12 /12
204-2023
Item 11, Report 52, Committee of the
Whole
2025 / 02 / 25
018-2025
Item 13, Report 1, Committee of the
Whole