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A city in Ontario has decided to impose a $100 fine on retailers for each shopping cart left abandoned on public property as part of its efforts to cover the costs involved in retrieving them.
The City of Brampton approved this new policy during discussions about the proposed budget for 2026 at the end of February, instructing staff to implement a fee that would help recoup the time and resources spent collecting carts that are left in communal areas.
According to a motion passed by the council, this fee will be charged when shopping carts belonging to businesses are found abandoned in places like parks, waterways, transit stops, and parking lots.
If it’s determined that a business hasn’t properly managed its carts, it will incur a $100 fine to facilitate their retrieval and return.
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The motion specifies that the carts must be easily identifiable as belonging to a retailer and that their abandonment should create safety hazards or pollution for fines to be issued.
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Council members noted an uptick in complaints from residents regarding abandoned carts on municipal property and recognized this issue has become more prevalent.
The motion also points out that these discarded carts can pose dangers for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers while obstructing access and threatening public safety.
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Officials have also mentioned that these carts can endanger wildlife and add to environmental pollution issues.
The city reports that collecting and disposing of these carts takes up considerable staff time and resources, leading to extra costs for the municipality.
This new policy aims to allow the city to recover expenses related to retrieving and managing shopping carts effectively.
Diving into council discussions, members also talked about reaching out to Walmart about this matter.
Council acknowledged that Walmart currently does not use GPS locking mechanisms on its shopping carts in Brampton based on meeting records.
Staff have been asked to provide an update by early 2026 regarding whether retailers should be required to install locking technology preventing shopping carts from leaving store premises.
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