About Gasbusters

GASBUSTERS, a grassroots movement of more than 600 citizens based in Toronto, actively engages the community to raise awareness of the issues and support a transition towards a ban of gas-powered leaf blowers and encourage the use of quieter, emission free alternatives.

Our stance is based on scientific, evidence-based facts that highlight the potential harm to citizens’ health.

The concerns raised by GASBUSTERS are supported by various studies and reports. These concerns include the significant health risk from the harmful noise produced by these machines and the high level of toxic pollutants they emit.

Why Banning Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Matters

The gas leaf blowers and other gas garden equipment not only disrupt the tranquility of neighbourhoods but are a potential source of multiple negative human health:

The unusually high levels of noise produced from gas-powered leaf blowers is a public hazard, shown to cause auditory damage. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that noise-induced hearing loss is the only type of hearing loss that is entirely preventable. Studies have shown that untreated hearing loss is associated with anxiety, depression, loneliness, and stress. In addition to hearing loss, chronic noise can lead to increased risk of heart attacks and strokes due to the stress and disturbance caused by the noise, impacting cardiovascular health.
The fumes emitted can cause respiratory issues. Gas-leaf blowers (GLB) emit poisonous carcinogenic compounds into the air that anyone nearby breathes. The concentration of gasoline, including the chemical benzene, emitted from the exhaust of a GLB is almost one hundred times the concentration in exhaust of an automobile.
Leaf blowers are known to produce ultrafine particulates in airborne dust. This includes carcinogenic street dust with asbestos from brake linings, carbon black due to tire wear, and other debris that may remain airborne for a week or more. These particles pose a unique health risk: They are so small they can pass through lung tissue into the bloodstream or be breathed in and travel directly to the brain.
Leaf blowers forceful gusts of wind damage lawns, gardens and beneficial insects and animals including pollinators.
Gas-powered leaf blowers produce noise levels that can cause hearing loss and tinnitus for workers who use them. Preventing noise-induced hearing loss is simple and inexpensive. If it sounds loud, it’s too loud and your auditory health is at risk.
Leaf blowers contaminate the air and water in our neighbourhoods - emissions, fuel spills, grass clippings, clogging storm sewers and polluting local waterways.
The main greenhouse gases that are causing climate change include carbon dioxide and methane. Similar to the emissions from gas-powered vehicles, gas leaf blower CO2 emissions add to greenhouse gases.
Toronto City Council has adopted an ambitious strategy to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto by 2040 – 10 years earlier than initially proposed. The City’s 2040 target is one of the most ambitious in North America. Banning gas-powered leaf blowers and advocating for a switch to electric or battery powered alternatives will help Toronto achieve TRANSFORMTO, Net Zero Implementation Strategy for phasing out the use of fossil gas in all new and existing City-owned facilities by 2040.

Built broad public support for banning the use of gas leaf blowers.
Educate the public about health risks and environmental hazards associated with gas leaf blowers and related garden equipment.
Spoke about pollution and the social impacts from gas leaf blowers at the Infrastructure & Environment Committee.
Spoke about the harmful noise from gas leaf blowers at the Noise Bylaw Review, Municipal Licensing & Standards, and the Economic & Community Development Committee.
Monitored and responded to City of Toronto initiatives that can help achieve our goal of banning the use of gas leaf blowers and related garden equipment.
Encouraged Councillors to pass a by-law banning the use of toxic two-stroke equipment including gas-powered leaf blowers.

What We’ve Done

What We Intend To Do

Steps to Pursue in 2024

Gasbusters to encourage City Councillors to prioritize legislation that bans the use of two -stroke, gas- powered leaf blowers.
In July, 2023 the City Council took steps to pursue a ban in 2024 on two -stroke small engine garden equipment including gas-powered leaf blowers, however a ban is not certain. City Staff were instructed to carry out consultations and determine the resources needed to develop and enforce the ban and submit a report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee in late 2024.
As the core objective of the Toronto Public Health is to improve the health status of Torontonians the Toronto Medical Officer could be a voice to champion the long term health consequences between the fuel combustion emissions from gas-leaf blowers and airborne harmful pollutants, such as carcinogenic benzene fumes, formaldehyde and fine particulate matter linked to serious health problems such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. (1) The vapours can cause leukemia and cancer in blood forming organs. (2) The high noise levels produced by the gas-powered leaf blowers can lead to hearing loss, hypertension and even cognitive issues.
Gasbusters aims to persuade Dr Devilla, Chief Medical Officer of Health at Toronto Public Health, to address this issue.
Recognizing how these pollutants contribute to broader environmental issues affecting air quality and public health, Toronto Public Health could recommend stiff restrictions designed to discourage their use. In 2001 (23 years ago), Dr Devilla’s predecessor, Dr Sheela Basrur submitted a report to prohibit gas-powered leaf blowers in Toronto, but it was not passed by City Council.
As awareness of the many health hazards posed by the unwanted harmful noise of gas-leaf blowers grows Gasbusters continues expanding its active membership to amplify our collective voice. As a resident of Toronto your voice is powerful. We encourage all constituents to use their voice to influence local policies and improve community quality of life. You elect councillors to represent your interests.

What You Can Do

Join Gasbusters

Join our campaign to ban the use of gas-powered leaf blowers and related garden equipment.

We will keep you informed of the latest developments in banning gas leaf blowers in Toronto and how to make your opinion heard at City Hall.

Input from Torontonians help the city better understand the perspectives, opinions, and concerns of people affected by city decisions.

Change how you care for your lawn

Reconsider your landscaping choices. Clearing the fallen leaves with a leaf blower sweeps away prime habitat for a lot of creatures and also disrupts the habitats for critical pollinating species such as bees, butterflies and moths, as well as other critters including amphibians and small mammals like chipmunks.

When you minimize your lawn, add more garden beds and let the leaves lie where they fall, there’s a lot less need to use high-power leaf blowers, gasoline or electric.

Talk to your landscaper or property manager about changing landscaping methods

Hire lawn care services that use battery-powered lawn care equipment. If you are renting, talk to your property manager about switching from gas leaf blowers to electric.

Tell your Councillor you want gas-powered leaf blowers banned

Gasbusters Organizing Committee

John Watt

John Watt is a fourth-generation Torontonian, living with his family in Deer Park.
John has a passion for the environment and the health and safety of our community. His inspiration is Fred Rogers, host of the children's television show ‘Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.’ John believes, like Fred Rogers, that each one of us has something valuable to bring to their neighbourhood, something that connects them as neighbours.
John joined Dundee Staunton, his neighbour, in starting the "Gasbusters" campaign, aimed at supporting the ban of 2-stroke gasoline-powered gardening equipment in Toronto and eliminating the damaging effects on our health and the environment.
Recently, John received the "Outstanding Neighbour Award" and a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee pin for his work with Gasbusters, recognized for his efforts in fighting climate change and noise pollution to make the lives of neighbours and the community better. "Won't You be My Neighbour"?
Dundee Staunton

Dundee Staunton is a retired entrepreneur who lives in the Deer Park neighbourhood of Toronto.
Dundee is a Director, Decision Point Research Inc., an international market research firm, Vice-Chair, The Mosaic Institute, a charity which equips communities with tools to dismantle prejudice, and Chapter Chair, Innovators Alliance, a not-for-profit organization that assists CEOs of Ontario-based companies to integrate innovation into their strategic plans.
An advocate of action to improve our environment and living conditions, in 2020 he co-founded Gasbusters with friend and neighbour John Watt to rally residents to work towards a ban of gas-powered leaf blowers because of their noise-producing and polluting properties.
Harold Smith, B. Arch, MBA, LEED AP

Harold Smith is a retired architect with a strong interest in ecological sustainability.
He passionately advocates for a quieter and more sustainable Toronto and the preservation and protection of Ontario’s natural spaces including the Greenbelt.
Harold is a director of the Lytton Park Residents Organization, past Co-President of the North American Native Plant Society, Life Member of the Bruce Trail Conservancy and member of the Field Botanists of Ontario.
Harold is also deeply committed to a number of other activist organizations including the Toronto Noise Coalition, Cycle Toronto and SCAN,
He enjoys native plant gardening, protecting pollinators, hiking, and playing violin.
Gail Bebee (retired)

Gail Bebee believes in volunteering to help make her community a great place to live.
She has served as President of the Bayview Village Association, her local residents’ association, and is currently a member of the Environment Committee.
Gail is an avid gardener. She has served as President of the North York Garden Club, a volunteer organization that promotes the love of gardening. She is a member of Toronto Master Gardeners and enjoys volunteering her time to provide advice to home gardeners in the Toronto area.
Gail’s science and engineering background - B.Sc. (Honours Biology), M.Eng. (Environmental Engineering), Certified Industrial Hygienist – provides a strong foundation for critically assessing the environment, health, and safety implications of gas-powered lawn care equipment. She is volunteering with Gasbusters because she believes that stopping the harm caused by gas powered leaf blowers and other garden equipment will significantly improve the health of our local environment including the plants, animals and people who live here.
Chris Keating

Chris Keating was the founder of Keating Educational Tours and Breakaway Ski Tours.
With his son, he is the owner of Hotel du Vieux Quebec, Quebec City. The hotel has been awarded 5/5 Green Keys from the Hotel Association of Canada’s environmental Green Key Leaf Eco-Rating Program each year since 2009.
He has held various positions on the board of the Deer Park Residents Group. He was Chair of the Noise and Pollution Action Committee, and the Heritage Committee.
In 2019 he heard Monty McDonald speak on CBC’s Sunday Edition about the dangers of gas-powered leaf blowers and immediately wanted to become involved in banning them. He brought together Monty McDonald, Harold Smith with Gasbusters John Watt and Dundee Staunton.
Monty McDonald P. Eng, MBA (retired)

Monty , retired Chemical Engineer, lives in Bayview Village. He had extensive experience in the Petrochemical Industry when many chemicals used and produced were carcinogens. This necessitated complete and costly reengineering of manufacturing and distribution operations to ensure plant workers and the public were not exposed to them. This influenced his role as Chair of The Bayview Village Environment Committee, partnering with Canadian Tire to encourage residents to exchange highly polluting Two Cycle lawn and garden equipment for clean running alternatives. He also teamed up with early Gasbusters in 2019 to encourage Councillor Shelley Carroll to present her first Member’s Motion to ban gas-powered leaf blowers in Toronto..
Monty founded a not-for-profit company of volunteers (Vimy Oaks Legacy) repatriating descendant trees from acorns gathered in WW1 at Vimy Ridge by a Canadian soldier and planted on his Scarborough farm. In 2018 one hundred and twenty trees were planted back on the Vimy Battlefield in a Centennial Park beside the Canadian Memorial.