King's Mill Park: our case
King's Mill Park is located on the Humber River in Toronto. The park is built on an old landfill, which was officially closed in 1965. When a local fisher and LOK volunteer noticed what appeared to be leachate and a stron smell near the river, he brought the site to Lake Ontario Keeper's attention. LOK took samples in July, 2001. These results show that the leachate leaving the site and entering the Humber River exceeds Ontario's Water Quality Guidelines and violates Canada's Federal Fisheries Act. Lakekeeper Mark Mattson contacted the Ministry of Environment and visited the site with MOE officers. LOK presented them with its case file, and the government is now investigating.
Our case
City of Toronto under investigation after watchdog exposes "dirty secrets"
"The city is serious about enforcing environmental laws," says Mattson. "Let's see them get serious about following them."
Image gallery
View images of leachate at the King's Mill Park site, taken by Eric Mattson during sampling.
Lab Results
Fish mortality and chemical analysis of the leachate entering the Humber River from the old landfill site.
Field notes
July 3, 2001: Vyacheslav Magmedov
July 19, 2001: Eric Mattson
July 19, 2001: Lakekeeper Mark Mattson
Biologist's report
"It is my opinion that the City of Toronto must be prohibited from depositing this deleterious substance (i.e. leachate) into the Humber River and ultimately, Lake Ontario, which are waters frequented by fish," says Mr. Dillenbeck.
More on landfills
King's Mill Park is just one of more than seventy closed landfill sites in Toronto deemed hazardous to humans. Twenty-two of these sites are situated directly on the Humber and Don Rivers.
Landfill sites on the Humber and Don Rivers
This colour map highlights the closed landfill sites situated directly on the banks of Toronto's most well-known rivers. Requires Acrobat Reader.
Lot or Street No
King's Mill Park
A5
Date Closed
1965
Site No from Ontario Ministry of Environment inventory
3054