{
  "id": 16969717,
  "title": "Ford government hopes to burn more garbage, build more landfills",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/ford-government-hopes-to-burn-more-garbage-build-more-landfills",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T22:18:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/10/28/ford-government-hopes-to-burn-more-garbage-build-more-landfills/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ontario's environment minister aims to increase the burning of garbage for energy and construct more landfills as the province faces a shortage of space for trash disposal. Environment Minister Todd McCarthy framed this approach as a means to combat the recent tariff imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Canadian waste. Within a decade, Ontario's landfills are expected to reach capacity, necessitating swift action, according to McCarthy.\n\nOn Tuesday, the government introduced the Building Ontario Faster Act, a bill designed to expedite the permitting and approval process for new landfill sites and incinerators across various ministries. McCarthy expressed his desire for proponents to submit proposals for either landfill or energy-from-waste sites, along with municipalities that would be willing to host these facilities. Municipalities hold the authority to reject such proposals, but McCarthy highlighted the potential economic benefits associated with landfill expansions or energy-from-waste sites in communities.\n\nDuring a press conference the previous day, McCarthy suggested the possibility of imposing landfills on communities if none volunteer to host them. The bill, which has yet to be passed, indicates the province will repeal a section of the Environmental Assessment Act requiring municipal support for landfill sites. In 2025, Ontario passed Bill 5, a controversial omnibus bill that sought to expedite approvals for large projects, including mines. However, the bill also exempted a former landfill in Dresden, Ontario, from a full environmental assessment, as the province sought to reopen it despite municipal opposition.\n\nIn a recent move, the U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on Canadian trash, effective shortly, which could mean Ontario's landfills may reach capacity within five years if the tariff remains in place. McCarthy did not specify the exact number of landfills or incinerators needed. A 2024 report from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy revealed that Canada shipped over three million tonnes of garbage to Michigan in 2024.\n\nMcCarthy advocated for embracing \"energy from waste,\" stating that Europe and Great Britain have implemented this strategy due to their lack of landfill capacity. However, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner criticized this approach, citing toxic air emissions and toxic ash generated by incinerators, which still require landfill disposal. McCarthy pointed to two existing waste-to-energy incinerators in Ontario as successful examples: Emerald Energy from Waste in Brampton and the Durham-York Energy Centre in Clarington, located in his riding of Durham.\n\nSchreiner emphasized that one significant challenge in building landfills and incinerators is the opposition from nearby residents, who are concerned about toxic air pollution in their neighborhoods. Instead, Schreiner argued that the government should prioritize reducing the amount of garbage sent to landfills instead of accelerating and increasing its quantity. The interim leader of the Liberal party, John Fraser, urged the government to convince Ontarians to accept these proposals beyond merely invoking tariffs and Trump as an excuse.",
  "summary": "Ontario's environment minister hopes to burn more garbage for energy and build more landfills as the province runs out of space to dump its trash",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}