CALGARY — Alberta’s Premier Danielle Smith says her government will bring in legislation later this year to crack down on illegal garbage dumping.

Smith says there’s a growing trend of people leaving their trash on roadways, farms, private property and public lands.

She says too often perpetrators face light fines, and says the legislation will reverse that.

The legislation will allow for up to $100,000 in fines for individuals, $1 million in penalties for corporations and, in extreme cases, jail terms.

Smith’s United Conservatives are also pledging to strengthen oversight of higher-risk waste transfer and storage facilities by requiring operators register with the province.

The premier says that last year in Calgary alone, there were 30,000 complaints related to illegal dumping, but the city issued just 165 tickets and three fines.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2026.

The Canadian Press