March 4, 2026
RED FM News Desk
The City of Brampton will now fine grocery stores and other retailers $100 for every shopping cart found abandoned on public property and collected by city staff.
The new measure was approved as part of Brampton’s 2026 budget, finalized on Feb. 6, after being raised last fall by Wards 1 and 5 Coun. Rowena Santos. She said complaints about carts left in parks, playgrounds, transit stations, stormwater ponds and other public spaces have become increasingly common.
City officials estimate staff retrieve between 400 and 500 abandoned carts each year a cost previously covered by taxpayers. Under the new bylaw, those collection costs will instead be passed on to retailers. Based on current numbers, the fines could generate between $40,000 and $50,000 annually.
In the past, abandoned carts fell under existing refuse and dumping bylaws, but fines were rarely issued because offenders were seldom caught in the act. While some retailers hire contractors to retrieve stray carts, city crews often step in when residents report them through 311 or bylaw enforcement.
“When residents report carts in parks or green spaces, they expect the city to deal with it,” Santos said during council discussions, noting that staff must also return the carts to the respective stores.
Council has also directed staff to explore whether the city can require large retailers to install anti-theft or cart-locking technology to prevent carts from leaving store properties. A report on that possibility is expected at a future council meeting.
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