Ajax residents can help protect their drinking water by joining a free shoreline cleanup along the Ajax Waterfront Trail on Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. to noon. The event is hosted by the environmental non-profit A Greener Future and is part of its Love Your Lakes program. Volunteers will remove litter and collect data that supports pollution research for the Great Lakes, which supply drinking water to over 40 million people.
The cleanup comes as A Greener Future approaches a major milestone of 10 million pieces of litter removed since 2014. So far, the group has collected 9,696,692 pieces, with explosive 153% growth in the Love Your Lakes program last year alone. Through the Love Your Lakes program, over 1.9 million pieces of litter have been removed at nearly 1,700 cleanups with more than 6,300 volunteers involved to date.
Participants do more than pick up trash. They become citizen scientists by sorting litter into over 30 categories and recording what they find. The data is analyzed to spot pollution trends and is used to push for policy changes with local governments and manufacturers. Cigarette butts remain the top litter item, making up roughly one in four pieces collected, with 370,000 butts picked up so far.
The Ajax Waterfront Trail spans six kilometres along Lake Ontario. It was named the William Parish Waterfront Trail in 2018 to honour a founding figure and former mayor who helped protect the shoreline. The trail offers more than 150 acres of parkland and is a popular spot for locals and visitors. The cleanup offers a direct way to care for this community asset while contributing to a healthier lake.
The event is also timely. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the Canada Water Agency are currently restoring Ajax’s shoreline to reduce erosion and improve water quality. A Greener Future has held cleanups at Ajax’s Paradise Beach before, showing a lasting commitment to the area.
Registration is required in advance through A Greener Future’s event page. High school students can earn community service hours. Organizers encourage participants to dress for the weather and bring a reusable water bottle. Gloves and bags will be provided.
