Toronto's city strike and its mounting garbage problem has provided two P.E.I. brothers with what has so far been a successful business opportunity.

Bill Hennessey, a 25-year-old Charlottetown native who's been living in Toronto for several years, came up with the idea of Toronto Sameday Garbage Removal a week ago, a day after the strike by Toronto city workers, including garbage collectors, was announced.

"I was reading the paper Monday morning — and I've been looking for a new business opportunity for about six months — I wondered, now how can I capitalize on this?" said Hennessey.

Within 12 hours, Hennessey's brother Bob had flown to Toronto from Charlottetown to help.

Now business is booming.

"We're having a tough time keeping up," said Bill Hennessey. "People have really said, 'Wow, good on you guys, and you're making our lives a whole lot easier.'"

'It's a really rewarding business. We're giving back to the residents of Toronto.'—Bill Hennessey

Employing university students and working with independent contractors, the business picks up garbage by appointment from residences in north Toronto, and offers commercial pickup throughout the city.

Hennessey says he has arranged for the trash he collects to go into landfills outside the Toronto area.

The special services come with a hefty price tag: $50 per pick up, and $10 per bag. But price hasn't been an issue.

They've been picking up as much as 200 pounds of garbage at once, said Hennessey.

As for being called scabs cashing in on the woes of city garbage collectors, Hennessey said he doesn't see it that way. City residents have been really supportive.

"It's a really rewarding business. We're giving back to the residents of Toronto and we're providing a service which isn't available right now here in the city," he said. "It's been wonderful."

Bill takes care of marketing, both online and in the papers, while Bob tends to operations and dispatch.

Bill Hennessy also operates an events promotion businness and is a lobster salesman.

The last time Toronto garbage collectors went on strike was in 2002 and it lasted 16 days.