The city of Toronto’s city inspectors are hyper vigilant in enforcing city bylaws with respect to A-frame signs and garbage removal. These laws unfairly target small mom and pop merchants.
A recent article in the Toronto Star highlights problems for mom and pop merchants in The Junction area of Toronto.
This article hit home for us as we and other merchants on north Avenue Road have felt the heavy hand of city inspectors. My letter to the editor on this topic appeared in today’s paper.
I could go on at length about the lack of services that is disproportionate to the taxes we pay and the fact that Martin spends time each day sweeping leaves in spring and fall, shovelling snow in the winter to generally keeping the walkways decent and passable.
Martin’s out there so much cleaning the front area of our block that one day a security guard from the CIBC , a few doors down from us, mistook him for a city worker and demanded that Martin clean the walkway in front of the bank!
Can’t recall the last time we saw a city worker cleaning up Avenue Road, yet we see the city inspectors regularly.
Andrea Swinton
www.takeaboo.com
