Video catches worker blowing garbage into street in east end Montreal neighbourhood
Social media is awash with criticism after a video showing a worker blowing garbage into the street was shared on Facebook.
The video was taken by a resident in the Tétreaultville neighbourhood in Montreal's east end Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough on Thursday morning.
In the video, a worker is seen using his sidewalk blower to propel bags of recycling, which had been put out by residents for their weekly pick-up, into Hochelaga Street.
The video has caused outrage on the neighbourhood's local Facebook group, with some calling the incident "a disgrace."
"This way of doing things is discouraging and sends a very bad message to citizens who respect the collection schedule only to see their garbage bags ripped open by clean-up crews," said Julien Hénault-Ratelle, city councillor for Tétreaultville on behalf of official opposition party Ensemble Montréal. "It's a reflection of the mediocre level of cleanliness services offered to Montrealers by Projet Montréal."
Nevertheless, borough officials are calling it an "isolated error," according to Noovo Info.
The borough says it has called the private contractor, Groupe Banco, who employs the worker.
"[The contractor] confirms that this was an isolated error on the part of the operator, who did not properly adjust the engine speed of his machine and made a mistake in planning his route," the borough told Noovo Info by e-mail.
The borough says it will also remind its sub-contractors that sidewalk blowers must not be used on collection days.
Clean-up operations normally happen when curbside parking is prohibited to limit the risk of vehicle damage.
Residents who notice any discrepancies are invited to contact 311 or use the Montreal Resident Services application to file a report.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Pastrnak scores winner, Bruins down Leafs 2-1 in overtime in Game 7
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc says
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Macklem tries to stay out of the fray as MPs do their best to use him to score points
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem navigates a political minefield every time he testifies before the House of Commons finance committee.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.