Community rallies to save iconic seashell van in Toronto
Published January 22, 2026 at 1:23 pm
The community is rallying to save an iconic Toronto van covered in seashells and toys.
Many Toronto residents are familiar with the van and home of Albino Carreira, 81, on Clinton Street near Christie Pits Park.
Carreira started decorating the exterior of his home with small toys, coins, plates and other objects after a workplace injury left him unable to work in the early 1990s.
His Plymouth Voyager also became a canvas shortly after he got it in 1993, his granddaughter Debbie Dias told YourCityWithin. He gradually added to the van over the years, starting with tiny plastic bugs and eclectic objects. More recently, Carreira has artfully covered the vehicle in seashells.
The van has sat unused in the garage for quite some time, as Carreira can no longer drive it.
Last week, a post advertising the van for sale on Facebook Marketplace caused a stir. Dias said her grandfather needed to raise money to fix his roof, do some home repairs and cover medical costs. He suffered a stroke and has been in the hospital for just over a week, she said.
Dias said she received “numerous messages” asking her to post a fundraiser instead of selling the van.
“This is a loved van,” she said.
Albino Carreira, 81, stands outside his home on Clinton Street.
A post on Reddit offered a few suggestions for the van last week.
“The AGO should buy it,” one person said.
“I think Shell Canada should buy it,” another suggested.
While he can’t drive, Dias said her grandfather hopes to still see the van when he can.
“Our hope is to find it a forever home that can keep it for the public to see, such as the city or a local museum,” Dias said. “That’s my grandpa’s goal.”
The GoFundMe had raised over $3,000 as of Jan. 22.
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Photos supplied by Debbie Dias