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Litter a big problem around Confederation Building

A St. John's councillor says whatever measures are being taken to clean up litter and trash around Confederation Building in St. John's aren't enough.

Coun. Tom Hann says fighting against litterbugs a 'never-ending battle'

CBC News ·
Discarded trash litters the grounds around Confederation Building in St. John's. Coun. Tom Hann says not enough is being done to clean up the area. (CBC)

It's the seat of Newfoundland and Labrador's government, and it's a bit of a mess.

Wrappers, bottles, packaging, and the ever-present Tim Hortons cup litter the exterior of Confederation Building in St. John's.

"They're the people that look after our legislation and look after us, obviously they're not looking after themselves if they're littering like this," says Coun. Tom Hann.
Coun. Tom Hann says it's been a never-ending battle against litter in St. John's, and the province needs to do more to clean up trash around Confederation Building, which is outside the city's jurisdiction. (CBC)

In addition to trash, cigarette butts litter the ground around Confederation Hill and Pippy Park.

The grounds around Confederation Building are maintained by the Pippy Park Commission and a spokesperson for Minister David Brazil said grounds maintenance is done on a regular basis.

In addition, Confederation Hill is a fairly windy spot so litter from other areas could be blowing onto the Prince Philip Drive area.

Hann said whatever measures being taken aren't enough.

"Obviously it's not working. If they say they are, they aren't, because it's not working," said Hann.

"There's garbage here and it looks like it's been here for some time … you've got to make employees aware that you just can't litter in your workplace like this."

Hann has been fighting to curb littering in the City of St. John's with his role on council, but it's an uphill battle.
Trash litters the grounds at Confederation Building in St. John's. (CBC)

"You look at the attitude of people and the education that we've been doing as a city and what we've been doing to catch litterbugs and so on … I don't understand how people in their workplace or in their parks and open areas and that can leave this kind of garbage around," he said.

"I'm absolutely surprised that this is at the entrance to the building."

Littering has been a ticketable offence in Newfoundland and Labrador since 1996, but Hann said the province apparently hasn't been enforcing it.

Rat traps located around Confederation Building point to an ongoing issue with litter, he added.

"The rats go where the garbage is and I guess that's the problem here," said Hann. "It's not being cleaned up."

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