Ontario Eyes Incineration and New Landfills Amid U.S. Trash Tariffs
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Environment Minister Todd McCarthy warns of a looming waste crisis as new U.S. trade barriers threaten to accelerate the filling of provincial landfills.
**Opinion:** The province is doubling down on a prehistoric waste strategy that trades our long-term air quality for a short-term fix to geopolitical trash disputes.
Ontario is facing a waste management crisis fueled by shifting trade dynamics with the United States, as Global News Toronto first reported. U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order that introduces a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian trash, a measure scheduled to take effect in a few days.
Ontario Environment Minister Todd McCarthy has responded to these tariffs by signaling a push toward increased garbage incineration for energy and the construction of additional landfills. McCarthy noted that the province's current landfill capacity is already under pressure, stating that sites will be full within 10 years. However, he warned that the new U.S. tariffs could accelerate this timeline, potentially leaving Ontario's landfills full within just five years.
While McCarthy expressed a desire to collaborate with municipalities to establish these new incineration centers and landfills, Global News Toronto reports that the provincial government may be forced to mandate that cities host these sites.
Despite the urgency expressed by the minister, Global News Toronto notes that McCarthy has not specified the exact number of incinerators or landfills required to address the shortfall.
The extent of the reliance on U.S. waste services is evident in data provided by Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. A 2024 report from that department indicates that Canada shipped over three million tonnes of garbage to the state of Michigan in 2024.