Cornwall, ON – The City of Cornwall has successfully completed its inaugural Spring Clean Up pilot project, a collaborative initiative aimed at improving neighbourhood safety, property standards and community well-being through education, engagement and partnership.

The week-long campaign, which was held June 8-12, 2026, brought together staff from the Cornwall Police Service (CPS), Cornwall Fire Services, Cornwall By-Law Services and Cornwall Waste Management Services. Working in multidisciplinary teams, members visited pre-identified neighbourhoods to engage with residents, address concerns and provide information on crime prevention, fire safety, property maintenance and proper waste disposal.

Rather than focusing solely on enforcement, the initiative emphasized education, support and connecting residents with the appropriate resources available through City services.

“Throughout the week, teams visited 536 residences, engaged directly with 298 residents, and identified 149 follow-up actions requiring further attention from one or more participating departments,” said Sgt. Dave MacLean, head of the CPS Crime Reduction & Community Partnerships (CRCP) division.

Recognizing that some concerns may be linked to mental health challenges, the CPS Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) also participated throughout the initiative, providing assistance and connecting individuals with appropriate supports when needed.

Residents received educational materials covering a variety of topics, including:

• Crime prevention information such as Lock It or Lose It and CamSafe
• Fire safety education, including smoke alarm awareness, safe smoking practices and barbecue safety
• Property standards and landlord and tenant responsibilities
• Waste sorting, recycling and proper disposal resources

The project also encouraged community participation beyond City services. Community organizations, including the Renaissance Group, coordinated neighbourhood clean-up efforts in parks, trails and public spaces, while local schools participated in community clean-up initiatives through the City's Adopt-a-Street program. Students from St. Matthew Catholic Secondary School and St. Lawrence Secondary School completed clean-up projects in Lamoureux Park and Kinsmen Park, respectively.

Daily briefings and debriefings allowed participating departments to coordinate efforts, share information and identify emerging concerns. Team members also reported overwhelmingly positive interactions with residents and noted the value of working alongside colleagues from other City departments to better understand each service’s role in supporting the community.

“The success of the Spring Clean-Up initiative is a direct result of strong collaboration between our Police, By-Law, Fire Services, and Environmental Services teams,” said Deputy Chief/Manager By-Law Services, Leighton Woods. “By working together, we were able to deliver a coordinated and proactive approach that made a meaningful impact in our community.”

CPS MISSION: A trusted police service partnering with our community for a positive impact on safety and wellbeing in Cornwall.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Rodney Wilson (#545)
Cornwall Police Service
Wilson.r@cornwallpolice.com