Whistler council narrowly voted in 2020 to stop sending its garbage to an American landfill, a practice that had, for 15 years, seen local waste roll across the border in specialized rail cars. A B.C. landfill was chosen instead.
“I have a bit of a moral problem sending our garbage over a border to another country,” Councillor John Grills said at the time. “There could be issues down the road with policy changes either by the state or the federal government, which could present problems to us. It’s gone well for several years but that’s something we’re not in control of.”
Would the Trump tariffs now threatening Canada have derailed Whistler’s cross-border trash train? Perhaps it’s too soon to tell. But Councillor Grills’ spidey senses seem prescient today and deserve a hat tip.
