Southwest borough targets trash in civic-pride campaign

Montreal's Southwest borough has a bit of a garbage problem namely, that it's everywhere.

Coun.CraigSauvsaid cleanliness is the numberone complaint he and his fellow boroughadministrators receive.

So the borough's administration came up with a project to help residents shame their not-so-clean neighbours: Bright pink signs and stickers drawing attention tosidewalk trash, garbage bags put out on a non-pickup day and theomnipresentdiscardedbags of dog poo littering tree squares.

Daybreak Montreal5:58Southwest borough targets garbage problem with new "cleanliness and civic pride" signs

The Southwest borough has created bright pink signs designed to expose residents who are violating garbage bylaws and not picking up dog poop. Daybreak spoke to city councillor Craig Sauv about the campaign.

Sauv said he doesn't see it asmuch as public shaming, asinstilling in people a sense of civic pride.

"There are so many people who are really awesome and involved and take part in the community butthere are some who need a little extra nudging. So that's the audience we're really trying to go for," Sauv, a citycouncillorfor St-HenriLittle-BurgundyPointe-St-Charles, told CBC's Daybreak.

Residents will be able to pick up stickers at the borough office on BelairStreetto put on unsightly garbage they find around their neighbourhoods.

He said residents aren't alone in the fight against trash, eitherthe borough has doubled the number of street and parkgarbage cans andincreased the frequency they are emptied to daily.

"They have to do their part and they have to be responsible," Sauv said.