2025.IE21.4

Background

Toronto has long considered a transition away from “two-stroke engine equipment, such as leaf blowers, as a precaution against the cumulative adverse impacts to human health and climate.” The City’s stakeholder consultation found that “there is a high support for a ban among residents, 73 per cent (4,818 out of 6,567) of respondents agree or strongly agree that Toronto should transition to zero-emission outdoor power equipment for all residents, businesses, and City of Toronto operations.”

Source: City of Toronto

Item Description

In efforts to phase out 2-stroke engine equipment, council voted to “express its continued support for the transition of City of Toronto owned gas-powered small engine equipment to zero-emission outdoor power equipment.” while supporting “the public promotion of the appropriate use of small engine equipment and sustainable yard care practices to encourage the transition to zero-emission outdoor power equipment by residents and businesses”. City council also took efforts ensuring new landscaping services “on City-owned property specify that two-stroke gas-powered engines may not be used if zero-emission equipment is available”. This however, stopped short of a proposed ban that would have prohibited “the use of two-stroke engine equipment in the City of Toronto which, if adopted, would come into force on January 1, 2030.”

Source: City of Toronto

Proposed by

Infrastructure and Environment Committee