That time a garbage strike nearly shut down X-files filming in Vancouver
Production costs for the popular TV series spiked 300% during the second-longest strike in Vancouver history
It was a TV series production that even the overwhelming smell of rotting refuse couldn't stop.
Twenty years ago this week, a civic strike in Vancouver caused mounds of stinky, rotting garbage to pile up throughout the city — most notably on the Downtown Eastside, where the popular series The X-Files often shot.
Five weeks into the strike, the piles grew ever higher.
Production staff normally cleaned the alleys before shooting, often removing drug paraphernalia to protect the cast and crew.
But the mountains of dumped waste that began to pile up meant they now had to spend several more hours clearing the area — raising production costs by 300 per cent, according to the crew.
The following video from the time shows some of their frustrations:
That five-week strike had many people concerned about potential health hazards, including the rats often seen happily feasting on the rotting waste strewn across the city.
But health officials at the time said not to worry — there was so much garbage, the rat population was relatively healthy and disease-free.
The strike was the second-longest one in the city's history — a strike in 1981 lasted for 90 days.
In the meantime, The X-Files has returned to Vancouver for a series reboot.
No word yet on what the rats think of the show.
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