Community Involvement

Daily Community Clean Up Program

Residents are encouraged to help keep our City clean by volunteering to collect litter during their free time...anytime.  The Community Clean Up Program enables volunteers to pick and choose when and where they will dedicate time towards this initiative. Please follow these easy steps to participate.  

NOTE: This program is now open, weather permitting. Any pre-scheduled clean-up activities will be determined cancelled due to inclement weather conditions.

  1. Complete the online registration form . A minimum 72 hour notice prior to beginning a clean-up is required. An adult individual waiver form will be completed online through the application process.  For groups of 2 or more, please download the Group Waiver Form and have all participants sign the form prior to the event.  Please email the completed form to the Program Coordinator or deliver to the MacBain Community Centre - Customer Service Desk prior to the scheduled clean-up date.
  2. If needed, contact the Program Coordinator to schedule a time to collect clean-up supplies from the MacBain Community Centre during building operating hours (bags, safety vests, pickers, etc…). Please allow for 3 business days to process this request. Participants are responsible to collect and return any borrowed supplies.
  3. Ensure to follow the appropriate safety guidelines and program restrictions while performing your clean-up.
  4. Once you are done your clean-up, email the Program Coordinator to indicate where you have left your filled garbage bags so that City Staff can make arrangements to collect the bags at a later date. Return your clean-up supplies during regular building operating  hours to the MacBain Community Centre.

Please note, clean-up locations are limited to only public property that is governed by the City of Niagara Falls.  If you are unsure of ownership of a certain area, please inquire prior to starting your clean-up.

Youth 13 yrs and under must be accompanied by a guardian at all times.  Youth between the ages of 14 to 16 must have their parent/guardian submit a Youth Permission form to participate. 

  • Group participation is limited to 9 people per day.
  • The City does not provide documentation for proof of participation.

Student Community Service Hours: Students can be awarded Community Services Hours for their participation. Students are to either acquire a Volunteer Worksheet from their school's Guidance Office prior to the event in order to have it signed by an authorized City Staff Representative at the MacBain Community Centre at the completion of the event or students can email their request at a later date.

For more information, please contact Jeff Guarasci, Community Development Coordinator. Phone: 905-356-7521 extension 3341.

Clean-Up Safety Tips:

  • Safety is priority. Please ensure that all members of your group are properly dressed, and are wearing the appropriate safety wear for the location that you are going to help clean.
  • Clean-up events are rain or shine. Events should be cancelled if weather conditions become unsafe.
  • DO NOT wear open-toed shoes or loose jewelry. Consider wearing a long sleeve shirt, pants and comfortable footwear to protect your feet, legs and arms.
  • DO NOT clean along any roadways, bridges or bicycle lanes. Only clean along boulevards, trails, parks and walkways (Municipal governed property - do not enter private property).
  • DO NOT pick-up any needles, glass or chemical substances. Notify the event coordinator of the exact location of these items to be picked up by City Staff.
  • DO NOT park along any arterial roadways and be alert of on-coming traffic.
  • Avoid construction sites and waterways
  • Use non-porous gloves while conducting your clean-up activity.
  • Volunteers working along boulevards must wear a safety vest or highly visible clothing.
  • Dress for the weather. Consider wearing a hat during peak sun times and keep hydrated.
  • Bring first-aid supplies in case of cuts, scrapes and other accidents that may happen. Have a cell phone with you at all times in case of emergency.
  • When able, work in pairs or groups in case of accidents that may occur.
  • Youth volunteering are encouraged not to work beside roadways. Alternatively, neighbourhood parks and trail are best locations for youth to participate.

Community Service hours for students are available to acquire through this program.  For more information or questions, please email the Program Coordinator or call Recreation & Culture at 905-356-7521 ext.3341.

Other Community Clean Up Opportunities

On Saturday, May 3rd from 9am to 12pm, the City of Niagara Falls Cemetery Services will be hosting a community clean-up that is open to the public to participate. Residents are encouraged to pre-register for the event by emailing [email protected] or call 905-356-7521 ext.5300.

2025 Fall Community Clean Up event: Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 10am to 1pm

Volunteers can now register for the 2025 Fall Community Clean-Up event that is taking place on Saturday, October, 2025. The event will take place starting at the MacBain Community Centre at 10:00 am and will conclude at 1:00 pm. Volunteers will be given gloves, a safety vest (if required), garbage bags and pickers (limited). All volunteers are requested to register online prior to the event, however, walk-ins on the day-of the event are welcome.  Please review the below information to help guide you with preparing to participate for this event.

Waiver Forms: All registering volunteers will need to sign a waiver form in order to participate.  Waiver forms will be available on the event date (October 18, 2025) at the MacBain Community Centre starting at 10:00 am.  Waiver forms can also be downloaded and completed in advance and can be found below. If you are registering multiple people, a group waiver form can be downloaded in advance or all members from the group can sign a waiver form on the event date. 

Volunteers Ages 13 and Under: Will need to have a Guardian complete a Youth Permission Form prior to the start of the event and accompany the volunteer at all times during the event.  Forms can be completed on the event date at the MacBain Community Centre starting at 10:00 am on Saturday, October 18, 2025 or downloaded prior to the event.

Volunteers Ages 14 to 16: Will need to have a Guardian complete a Youth Permission Form prior to the start of the event. Forms can be completed on the event date at the MacBain Community Centre starting at 10:00 am on Saturday, October 18, 2025 or downloaded prior to the event.

Downloadable Permission, Links and Waiver Forms:

What to Expect:

  • If you haven't pre-registered, that is ok (but it helps us prepare if you do). All volunteers are to arrive starting at 10:00 am on Saturday, October 18, 2025 to the MacBain Community Centre (7150 Montrose Road - Niagara Falls).
  • Volunteers will then complete a waiver form. Youth under the age of 17 will need a guardian on-site to complete a youth permission form (can also be completed in advance). NOTE: Youth under the age of 14 MUST be accompanied by a guardian and they cannot clean along street boulevards (only parks and trails).
  • Event volunteers will provide you with a couple of garbage bags, gloves, safety vest (if cleaning along boulevards), safety instructions and a picker (limited supply).
  • You can then proceed to help clean a municipal-governed area (do not enter private property without permission) of your choice. If you do not know where to go, you can ask for a map of an approved area that is problematic with accumulating debris.
  • While on-site, leave any filled garbage bags at either a street corner, parking lot entrance or park/trail entrance when possible so that Staff can easily collect later.
  • Bring all borrowed items (except for gloves - you can keep them) back to the MacBain Community Centre prior to 1:00pm and inform the event volunteers of where you have left the filled garbage bags.  If easier, you can email the location of where the bags have been left. 
  • If you are late coming back to the MacBain Community Centre - after 1:00pm, borrowed items can be left at the Customer Service Desk, located inside the building, beside the pool.

Walker Industries Complimentary Waste Disposal Program

Walker Industries is a company dedicated to the environment, community and safety of their employees and they want to do their part and help keep the communities in which we live and operate clean and safe. They hope to do this by making every day a “day of action on litter” by offering free disposal for any community clean up initiative year round across Niagara Region. Dependent on any existing government restrictions, the Thorold landfill will provide free disposal of litter collected by community groups who pre-register their 2024 community cleanup initiatives. Please review Walker Industries' guidelines for accessing free disposal for 2023. To register for free community clean-up disposal please email Walker Industries (include your group name, cleanup location (i.e. municipality), and expected clean-up date).  

City Nature Challenge 2025 - April 25 to 28

Thank you to all who participated in this year's global City Nature Challenge.  Residents took part in an intense four-day bioblitz surveying, joining citizens from across the world to help catalogue native plants and animals found in their cities in the annual event.  The 2025 challenge took place between April 25 to 28 across hundreds of  countries.  The challenge was an opportunity for residents to enjoy nature while making important discoveries that will help scientists better understand and protect nature. Participants recorded and submitted as many species as possible within the city boundaries. Result from the event will be released soon.  You can visit City Nature Challenge online to learn more.

Adopt A Street/Trail/Park/Walkway

You can help keep your environment clean and beautiful! The Adopt A Street Program is a campaign to beautify and take pride in the City of Niagara Falls. Volunteer groups are encouraged to adopt a street, trail, park or walkway, and take responsibility for litter pick-up, weed pulling, etc. along the selected area. Complete the application form online.

For updated documents including applications, waivers, checklists and safety guidelines, please contact Jeff Guarasci, Community Development Coordinator. Phone: 905-356-7521 ext 3341.

Environment Award

Congratulations to our most recent winners, Debbie Cank-Thatcher & Leslie Laan. The award is presented to a citizen(s), groups, businesses, industry or organizations residing or working in the City of Niagara Falls who have made a significant contribution toward the protection or enhancement of the City's environment.

Over the past 25 years, the City of Niagara Falls Environmental Action Committee has recognized many groups and individuals who demonstrated an outstanding commitment to the improvement and preservation of the environment. View the Past winners of the Environment Award for a full list of recipients of the award.

Nominations will be accepted year round. A complete, one page submission will be accepted, including a bio and accomplishments of the nominee and the nominator's and nominee full contact information.

Note: Only winning submissions will be contacted prior to the annual Volunteer Recognition Evening, which takes places annually at the beginning of November. Recipients will be given complimentary tickets to the Volunteer Recognition Ceremony.