Quebec opposition wants hazardous waste from the U.S. blocked

Quebec Environment Minister Benoit Charette in the National Assembly. (Jacques Boissinot / The Canadian Press)

Quebec’s opposition parties want to block the CAQ government’s plan to expand a landfill that receives hazardous waste from the United States.

Environment Minister Benoit Charette will table a bill this week to force the municipality of Blainville to sell land to the American company Stablex.

The company already operates an inorganic industrial waste treatment centre in the municipality, and wants to expand it onto a territory that includes wetlands.

The Liberal Party, Québec Solidaire (QS) and the Parti Québécois (PQ) all criticized Charette’s plans on Tuesday.

PQ MNA Joël Arseneau accused Charette of being a cheerleader for an American company in the midst of a trade war with the United States.

Official Opposition Liberal Leader Marc Tanguay suggested that Charette never plays his role as a defender of the environment.

For QS co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal, Quebec must not be the United States' garbage dump, and we must stop importing hazardous waste here.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 25, 2025.