近日，加拿大一間位於多倫多的餐館因環保問題引發社會爭議。一段在社群媒體上瘋傳的影片顯示，餐館的印度員工在餐廳後方，直接將大量廢棄食用油與油脂倒入城市的雨水排水口中，行為被一名路人拍下後上傳網路，迅速掀起輿論風暴。影片中可見，黃色的廢油沿著地面流入排水系統，而拍攝者則一邊錄影、一邊憤怒地斥責該名員工破壞環境、污染城市。

根據加拿大環保法規，任何商業機構不得將油脂、化學物或食物廢料倒入雨水排放系統，因為這些排水最終會直接流入湖泊與河川，而未經處理的油脂會造成嚴重的水質污染與生態破壞。事件曝光後，多倫多市環境局介入調查，並對涉事餐廳開罰。該餐館的管理層隨後公開道歉，聲稱事件為個別員工疏忽，並非餐廳政策，但仍引發輿論不滿，許多網友批評該店缺乏基礎的環保意識與社會責任。

這起事件也引發更廣泛的社會討論。多倫多當地居民對市區環境與公共衛生狀況的惡化表達擔憂。由於該市近年流浪漢數量增加、物價與房租高漲、工作機會減少，加上高稅收與寒冷氣候，不少人開始對居住環境產生不滿。部分民眾將矛頭指向外來移民社群，特別是來自南亞的移民群體，認為部分人將原本在家鄉的不良生活習慣帶入加拿大，導致公共衛生問題惡化，例如隨地丟垃圾、隨地便溺等現象，使得城市整潔度下降。然而，也有學者與公民團體呼籲大眾理性看待事件，指出這起環保違規行為雖值得譴責，但不應被用來污名化特定族群。多倫多向來是加拿大最多元的城市之一，擁有龐大的印度、華人與中東裔人口，移民對城市經濟與文化發展貢獻巨大。專家強調，問題的根源在於監管與教育的不足，而非單一族群的文化習慣。

這起「廢油倒入排水口」的事件不僅反映多倫多當前在環保與社區管理上的困境，也折射出加拿大社會在高通膨、治安惡化、文化融合與社會公平之間的緊張氛圍。許多居民坦言，如今生活壓力沉重、氣候嚴酷、稅務繁重，再加上城市管理問題頻發，讓「宜居國度」的光環似乎逐漸褪色。這起看似微小的事件，實際上揭開了加拿大都市生活中更深層的矛盾與焦慮。

Recently, a controversy erupted in Canada after a video surfaced showing employees of an Indian restaurant in Toronto pouring waste cooking oil directly into a storm drain. The video, filmed by a bystander, quickly went viral on social media. In the footage, yellow grease can be seen flowing into the city’s drainage system while the person recording angrily scolds the worker for polluting the environment and damaging public property.

According to Canadian environmental regulations, it is strictly prohibited for businesses to dump grease, chemicals, or food waste into storm drains, as these systems channel untreated water directly into lakes and rivers. Oil pollution can severely damage ecosystems and water quality. Following the viral video, Toronto’s Environmental Department launched an investigation and fined the restaurant. The restaurant’s management later issued a public apology, claiming it was an individual employee’s mistake rather than company policy, but public outrage persisted. Many criticized the restaurant for lacking environmental awareness and corporate responsibility.

The incident also reignited broader discussions about the living conditions and urban management in Toronto. Residents have expressed growing dissatisfaction with the city’s deteriorating public hygiene, rising numbers of homeless people, soaring costs of living, limited job opportunities, and heavy taxation. Some residents even blamed certain immigrant communities—particularly South Asian immigrants—accusing them of bringing unsanitary habits, such as littering or urinating in public, which they believe have worsened the city’s cleanliness.

However, academics and civic groups urged people to remain rational and avoid stereotyping or stigmatizing any ethnic group. Toronto, known for its cultural diversity, is home to large Indian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern communities that have significantly contributed to the city’s economy and cultural vibrancy. Experts pointed out that the real issue lies in weak regulation and insufficient public education, not in the cultural background of specific groups.

Ultimately, this “waste oil dumping” scandal exposed deeper social tensions in Toronto—and perhaps across Canada. It highlighted the country’s struggles with environmental protection, urban management, and social integration amid rising inflation, declining safety, and an increasingly heavy tax burden. For many, the once “most livable country” now feels less ideal, as everyday frustrations and governance failures erode public confidence. What began as a small environmental violation has, in many ways, become a symbol of Canada’s broader urban challenges and societal anxieties.