Blowing your leaves into the street could cost you

Leaves on a Vancouver street

In the last couple of weeks, heavy rains have caused many streets to flood and Vancouver city crews have had their hands full clearing out drains.

Albert Shamess, the Director of Vancouver Waste Management showed CTV News the problem in one neighborhood.

“So what we’ve got here is we’ve got a catch basin that’s been covered over with leaves,” Shamess pointed out.

In some cases it’s just a consequence of a lot of trees but part of the problem is blamed on negligence – some people will blow leaves into the street to clear their yard and sidewalk.

“Well I think they blow them into the streets and expect us to pick them up,” says Shamess.

CTV News observed a number of people with leaf blowers in downtown Vancouver blowing leaves into the street without picking them up.

The City has a law against leaving leaves and yard trimmings in the street and depending on the severity, the fine can be up to $2,000.

“We haven’t handed out very many at all at this point but as things get worse in the future continue to get worse we may end up having to do that,” Shamess said.

In an effort to get ahead of the problem, Vancouver street cleaners are moving from neighborhood to neighborhood to remove piles of leaves that have fallen from the streets or have been left behind by others.

The City of Vancouver needs you to do your part too to help out and reminds everyone to pay attention to the street cleaning signs. If you don’t move your car you could find it towed. Right now the city is just giving warning tickets and towing the vehicle to a spot nearby. If the problem gets worse, fines may be issued in the future.