The Quebec government announced on July 2, 2026 that it has granted an emergency authorization to temporarily raise the height of waste piles at the province’s largest landfill in Terrebonne, a community located north of Montreal. The measure allows garbage to be stacked higher than current regulations permit, providing additional storage capacity while a longer‑term solution is explored.
The decision follows a recent assessment that the Terrebonne site, which handles the majority of waste generated in the Greater Montreal area, is expected to reach its full capacity in less than a year. Officials indicated that without the height increase, the landfill could exhaust its usable space well before the end of the projected timeline, potentially disrupting waste management operations across the region.
Under the emergency approval, the temporary expansion will be limited in duration and subject to monitoring by provincial environmental authorities. The government emphasized that the change is a stop‑gap measure designed to maintain service continuity while plans for additional capacity, such as new landfill sites or alternative waste‑reduction initiatives, are finalized.
The Terrebonne landfill has been the primary disposal facility for Quebec’s waste streams for several decades, and its proximity to major urban centers makes it a critical component of the province’s waste‑handling infrastructure. The emergency height increase does not alter the overall lifespan of the site but extends its operational window by allowing more material to be stored in the same footprint.
Provincial representatives indicated that the temporary measure will be reviewed regularly to ensure compliance with environmental standards and to assess its impact on the surrounding community. The approval reflects the government’s intent to avoid an immediate shortfall in waste disposal capacity while longer‑term strategies are being developed.