‘A dreadful odour’: Weeks of stink in Leslieville now have an answer from Toronto officials

A photo of Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant from a city staff report in 2024 (City of Toronto photo).

After days of complaints about a “dreadful odour” from residents in Leslieville, Toronto officials are now pointing to a “mechanical failure” at the Ashbridges Bay sewage plant for the stench.

The explanation comes following a open letter from City Councillor Paula Fletcher. In the letter, Fletcher said that she received “many complaints from local residents who were very upset with a dreadful odour that was emanating from the plant.”

“There were emails to my office as well as calls to 311,” she wrote, adding that some residents were also “confused” with the 311 reporting process.

As a result, Fletcher said she is now asking city staff to return to council with a clearer notification system and an easier way for residents to track complaints.

The item will now go before city council on May 20.

Tank taken offline

In a statement to CTV News, Toronto Water explained that one of the plant’s primary holding tanks suffered a mechanical failure and had to be removed from service while repairs were completed.

“The city determined the recent odour issue was caused by a mechanical failure involving one of the plant’s primary holding tanks,” the city said. “The tank was taken out of service while repairs were completed and is now back in operation.”

Officials added that warmer weather made the odours more noticeable and said there is “no evidence of a broader systemic problem at the facility.”

Ashbridges Bay is one of four wastewater plants run by Toronto and among the largest in Canada. The city emphasizes it serves about 1.2 million residents and typically processes roughly 600 million litres of wastewater each day, with capacity to handle far more during major rainstorms.

Nonetheless, Fletcher says the delay in notifying her office left residents in the neighbourhood in the dark about the smell.

Many subsequently took to social media to speculate about its cause.

“I would hope that Toronto Water knew that there had been a mechanical failure,” she said. “I am concerned that my office was not advised that there was a critical failure and a serious odour issue at the plant.”

Her motion, which passed at the city’s infrastructure and environment committee on Wednesday, asks Toronto Water to report back with “an initial framework for an improved communications protocol” and a clear portal to capture and track complaints.

The city says it has invested more than $305 million in an odour reduction program and is continuing to replace aging treatment tanks to prevent further incidents.

“We understand the recent odour was very unpleasant for nearby residents,” said Toronto Water general manager Lou Di Gironimo. “We are working to improve community notification should these incidents occur in the future.”