smell toronto

This is what smelled so bad in Toronto yesterday

It's not just you, friends; much of the GTA smelled like literal s-h-i-t yesterday.

That "eau de merde" scent appears to have dissipated, for the most part, as of Friday morning, but it got much of Toronto talking (and checking their shoes) on Thursday afternoon.

People from Fort York to North York were tweeting about the stench, many of them sharing theories about what was behind it.

A lot of citizens initially thought they'd stepped in dog and / or horse droppings.

As it turns out, the widespread smell of was caused by cow poop – which is better known in agricultural circles as "manure" or "fertilizer."

City Councillor Mike Layton (Ward 19, Trinity-Spadina) broke the news early Friday morning, explaining that The City's Parks Department had spread fertilizer across local sports fields.

So there you have it, Toronto. It smelled like crap outside because there was lots and lots of crap outside.

How did you think our gardens grow?

Lead photo by

Randy McDonald


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

New laws and rules coming to Ontario next month

Toronto getting a new park that will just be torn up and replaced by another park

Canadians about to get first child tax payment of 2025

Toronto's metro area population has officially exceeded 7 million people

Ontario residents are about to get their $200 provincial rebate cheques

Here's how much more people in Ontario are taxed than other provinces and U.S. states

Canada about to clamp down on immigration eligibility and here are the facts

Toronto is hiring for a ton of jobs right now and many pay over $100K