Doug Ford's government has cited potential U.S. tariffs as a reason to expand the controversial York1 landfill project in Ontario, amid fears that the province's landfill capacity will soon be exhausted. Although dependence on U.S. waste management has been a longstanding issue, experts warn that reopening this landfill will not effectively address Ontario's waste management crises. The province generates significant waste annually, yet faces a looming infrastructure shortfall, which could lead to a major crisis if the U.S. were to close its borders to Canadian waste.
"It's about being self-reliant when it comes to waste management and all matters economic," Ontario's Environment Minister Todd McCarthy said in question period recently while defending the York1 project.
"If, for whatever reason, the U.S. administration decided to close their borders to Canadian waste we would face an immediate crisis that we simply do not have the infrastructure to manage," said York University professor Calvin Lakhan.
Ontario's landfill capacity will be exhausted over the next decade, as warned by the province's auditor general and the association representing waste and recycling sectors.
Experts say the conflict should serve as a wake-up call that time is running out to find long-term solutions to the province's rapidly-filling landfills.
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