Rain leaves the Bluffs unstable

More erosion than usual leads to multiple landslides

Officials from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority are warning residents and tourists to steer clear of both the top and bottom of the Scarborough Bluffs due to landslides.

Recent rainfall and the high water level of Lake Ontario have led to more erosion of the bluffs than usual, TRCA waterfront specialist Nancy Gaffney said.

“It’s all adding up together to make it very unstable,” she said.

Gaffney said between 10-15 landslides have rolled down the east side of the bluffs recently. Staff is reviewing drone footage from late last week to see just how serious the threat is.

“We’re talking metres and metres of bluff face falling off at the same time,” Gaffney said, adding the city is alerting homeowners about the risk to backyards and decks.

Although the ground may look stable, with plenty of grass on the surface, Gaffney said “there’s very little or nothing underneath that grass.”

“It moves very fast; it’s very unpredictable,” she added.

Despite the warnings, area Councillor Gary Crawford said there were dozens of people walking in the bluffs last weekend.

He hopes the warning will be lifted later in the summer, but that will depend on the water level and how much more rain the city gets.

Tracy Horvath, founder of conservation group The Wild Bluffs, said the landslides show the risks of development in the area and a need for better conservation.

“We’ve been saying for years that the area is unstable,” she said.

The bluffs are just the latest casualty of Toronto’s wet spring.

Toronto Island is still closed to the public after heavy rainfall in early May, resulting in cancelled weddings and festivals.