Meet your 2026 organizers: Salina, Eric, Ikinori, Brian, Jup, Diana, Alex, and Lamin — a dedicated group of community members who care deeply about the Humber River and bring their time, energy, and heart to every cleanup and gathering. We would also like to honour and thank our past volunteer organizers who put an endless amount of time and energy to get us where we are today: Ana, Elissa, Jennifer and Harsh-thank you!
about us
The Humber River Pals emerged as a response to the litter problem along the riverside. The founders of this collective did not want to ignore the issue and instead grouped together to host their first clean up on May 29, 2021. The community response was fantastic and since then, each event has had a turn out of upwards 46 volunteers per event. Together we are all taking care of the environment and strengthening community bonds.
Our mission is to organise regular ravine cleanups to reduce the amount of litter in our ravine system while introducing the beauty and history of the Humber River to the high needs neighbourhood of Weston.Our objective is to empower and inspire local residents to be more conscientious about their waste and consumption.
Alongside the clean ups, Humber River Pals also hosts invasive
species removal groups via the Toronto Nature Stewards. Ikinori
Lau is a trained Lead Steward at Weston Lions Park and will be
guiding registered volunteers in workshops to identify and
remove invasive species.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. Do I need to register for an event beforehand?
No need to register in advance for our clean up events. Just arrive to the advertised location at the specified time and you will find us ready to greet you with all the necessary supplies for a safe clean up. *Please note you must RSVP via eventbrite for any stewardship events.
2. Do I need to bring anything to the clean up?
Short answer no, we will supply you with all the essentials: gloves, bags, hand sanitizer etc. Though, we do encourage you to bring your own reusable water container and thicker gloves (ex. garden gloves) to reduce waste.
3. Is the event family friendly?
Yes! Bring your children, we think it is great role modelling for young children to witness this collective community action. The event is safe for everyone, including your furry pets.
4. How can I get more involved?
There are many ways you can help us: postering the neighbourhood, Sharing our social media posts, arriving early on event day to help set up and then staying later to pack up, sharing any sponsorships/ partnerships ideas…. reach out to us and we can work together!
