Uproar Brewing After Waste Management Company Dumps Ontario For Florida

GFL Environmental Inc., a company that provides waste services across the province, announced on Wednesday it'll soon move its headquarters from Vaughan to Miami Beach, Florida. 

GFL is the fourth-largest environmental services company in North America, with numerous facilities across Canada and 18 U.S. states. 

But the move wasn't so much about operations as it was a capital markets strategy. 

"The relocation of our executive headquarters broadens our eligibility for participation in U.S. equity indices while preserving our eligibility for inclusion in Canadian equity indices," founder and CEO Patrick Dovigi said in a press release.

Upon hearing the news, Ontario residents are sounding off, criticizing the company for such a — pardon the pun — "dumpster fire" move. 

Look, in the dead of winter, sure, who wouldn't want to be living and working near a beach? But given the tricky political climate and rocky relationship between Canada and the U.S., the move sends a message that many Ontario residents aren't exactly pleased with.

Let's be accurate, GFL has moved its executives to the USA. Executives don’t actually do the work and in reality add nothing to the operation beyond overhead burden

— Robert T BEd RSE (@Doggonenation) January 22, 2026

There has been a slow trend of Canadian businesses relocating to the U.S., and GFL certainly won't be the last. It's a phenomenon that many are flagging as worrying.

GFL just pulled shop and is moving to Florida. More will follow.

Canada is not the future.

— Kyle (@Xylitetime) January 22, 2026

Others are more worried about financial fallout, as shifting operations could affect stock performance. 

The GFL stock is heavily invested in within Canada including the CPP. You would only be hurting Canadians, their retirement plans, and our economy.

— Rick Valencia ???????? (@a_bye) January 22, 2026

Meanwhile, other Ontario residents are just downright livid that their money is being wasted on private profits instead of public services.

"Surprise surprise, turns out privatizing public services is a bigger waste of taxpayer money than letting the government run public services," read one comment on the Ontario subreddit when news broke.

"American-based companies should not be able to get contracts for essential services in Canada," another concerned user chimed in. 

GFL — bought out by U.S. and British investment firms Apollo & BC Partners in January 2025 — said despite the migration down south, it will continue expanding in Canada. At a press conference on Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford assured that the company will still employ workers in Ontario. 

As one Redditor quipped: "To be fair, there's a lot more trash in Florida than Ontario.”