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Canadian police say they have found the remains of six people at a property connected to a suspected serial killer.

Landscaper Bruce McArthur, 66, was charged with the deaths of five men near Toronto's gay village in January.

Police previously uncovered the remains of three people in flower pots on a property where he stored his tools.

On Thursday, that number went up to six. Police have identified one of the remains as belonging to Andrew Kinsman, who went missing in June.

Mr McArthur is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Mr Kinsman, 49, Majeed Kayhan, 58, Soroush Mahmudi, 50, Dean Lisowick 47, and Salim Esen, 44.

So far all of the remains have been found in planters inside a nondescript property at 53 Mallory Crescent in the Toronto neighbourhood of Leaside.

Mr McArthur had a deal with the home's elderly residents to store his landscaping equipment there in exchange for free lawn care, according to the authorities.

Police say the residents are free to return home now, but investigators will continue to excavate the backyard for more remains.

They have asked anyone who hired Mr McArthur as a landscaper to contact them and are working with police in other jurisdictions.

Frozen winter temperatures mean it could take longer than a week to dig out the backyard, Det Sgt Hank Idsinga told media on Thursday.