Toronto pond littered with dead fish, investigation underway

A dead fish is seen on the shore of Topham Pond.

An investigation is underway after dozens of dead fish recently washed up on the shore of a pond in Toronto’s west end.

Topham Pond is located at 3601 Eglinton Avenue W., just east of Jane Street, in the southeast corner of Eglinton Flats park.

A number of people who use the park recently contacted CP24 about the water quality in the pond, which they say has also sickened and even killed turtles, frogs, toads, and other wildlife.

They claim that the recent die-off is the result of a chemical spill, which has left all of the local green space smelling like rotting, dead fish.

The Toronto Urban Fishing Ambassadors (TUFA), which promotes recreational fishing in the city and greater area, in partnership with the Mount Dennis community, had planned to hold a family fishing event at Topham Pond last Saturday but says it was forced to call off the fishing portion of its ‘Party by The Pond.’

Area resident Faisal Hassan said during a recent interview with CP24 that when people arrived, they found the pond closed off with signage and caution tape.

A post by David Clark, of TUFA, on the Toronto Fishing Club’s Facebook group, said community members called parks staff to schedule a gate opening the morning of the event but were notified by them that there had been a “significant’ fish die-off earlier that day at the pond and were instructed to not hold their event as planned. Organizers went ahead with their event but shorted it and cut out the fishing part.

Clark said the cause of the die-off has not been determined and the Ministry of the Environment is investigating.

He added that they were also advised to make no contact with water or fish until the cause of the die-off is determined and Ministry of Environment has determined it is safe to have contact with the water and to fish.

Concerns about Topham Pond raised ‘many times,’ says area resident

Hassan said he and other members of his community have long raised concerns about water quality issues and the health of local wildlife “many times” at Topham Park and surrounding areas with current government but it has “done nothing.”

The former local NDP MPP said residents want a comprehensive investigation into why a significant number of fish and wildlife in that body of water are sick and dying.

“We need that to be done immediately. We need the government to speak about it. We need a comprehensive plan to tell us what is going to happen and what they’re going to do about it,” Hassan said.

Local councillor calls situation ‘concerning,’ ‘deeply troubling’

York-South Weston Coun. Frances Nunziata, whose ward encompasses the neighbourhood where the pond is located, told CP24 that her office was informed of dead fish and a “strong odour” at Topham Pond on Friday and took immediate action, directing her staff to contact City Parks staff and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to request an urgent investigation.

In an email, the Ward 5 representative said she visited the site in person on Saturday and “found the situation concerning—both the sight and smell were deeply troubling.”

“Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is now working in close coordination with city parks staff to assess the situation and ensure any necessary cleanup or remediation is undertaken,” Nunziata said, noting that staff from the conservation authority collected water samples on Saturday, which have been sent to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks for analysis.

“The results will help identify the potential causes of the fish die-off. I have been advised that, in some cases, fish die-offs may occur due to natural causes, such as changes in temperature or oxygen levels.”

Nunziata said she’s also been in contact with the office of local MPP Mohamed Firin, adding that they’re “working together to monitor and respond to this issue as more information becomes available.”

Ministry says it found ‘no evidence of spills’ in area

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks told CTV News Toronto that it became aware of this situation on July 3 following a report of dead fish being observed in Topham Pond, adding that there is “no evidence of any spills in the vicinity that could have contributed to the incident.”

The ministry said it visited the site on July 4 and 7.

It noted that the property is actually owned by TRCA and managed by the City of Toronto.

“As such, they are responsible for the operation of the stormwater pond,” a spokesperson said.

“TRCA is working with the city to address this situation and have shared that recent temperature fluctuations in the past few weeks may be a natural cause of the dead fish in the pond.”

Conservation authority did testing, but says site managed by city

The Conservation Authority has also said that it is aware of the situation at the local pond, which it owns along with the surrounding parkland.

The TRCA noted, however, in a written statement that the site in question is managed by the City of Toronto under a formal agreement.

“As such, any actions taken on site are led by the city. However, as the landowner, TRCA will continue to work closely with the city to ensure that any necessary cleanup or remediation is undertaken, as deemed appropriate,” it said, adding that when it comes to cases of water quality issues and potential pollution, like a chemical spill, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks is the “responsible authority for investigating and determining the appropriate course of action.”

Nonetheless, TRCA said staff attended the site and collected water samples, which are currently being analyzed.

“The results of these tests may help us understand the factors that contributed to this fish die-off,” the conservation authority said.

“Fish die-offs can be a natural occurrence, and the Ministry of Natural Resources can provide further information on fish health. TRCA will continue to collaborate with our municipal and provincial partners and remains prepared to support any further investigation or cleanup efforts as needed.”