On May 24, residents, researchers, and advocates gathered at Wellesley Community Centre for the launch of Bringing Down the Trash, a new report that tackles waste management issues in St. JamesTown’s high-rise rental buildings. 

Fred Alvarado – Local Journalism Initiative

The event, hosted by the University of Guelph’s Lisa Kowalchuk in partnership with the 200 Wellesley Community Corner sparked a vital community conversation on waste reduction and environmental justice. St. James Town is one of Toronto’s most densely populated neighbourhoods, and the report sheds light on the unique barriers residents face in managing household waste—limited recycling access, confusing signage, and poor building infrastructure among them.

Lisa Kowalchuk, who led the research, emphasized the importance of listening to tenants. “Solutions must come from the people living these realities,” she told Regent Park TV reporter Fred Alvarado during an interview at the event.

Residents actively participated in the discussion, sharing frustrations and proposing ideas for cleaner,more equitable waste systems. Many voiced the need for city-wide action and more inclusive policies that support marginalized renters. This conversation marked an important step toward environmental justice in St. James Town—where healthy living conditions and sustainable waste practices are long overdue.