Questions fly as ministry seeks comment on Dresden landfill, recycling application

A new Environmental Registry of Ontario posting on proposals for a dormant landfill near Dresden indicates the Environment Ministry has heard local residents’ and municipalities’ concerns.

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But some area opponents and politicians don’t see it as a victory, raising questions about the government’s motives and timing.

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The ministry posted a notice Tuesday seeking public comment by May 10 on a proposed landfill and waste transfer and processing expansion applications by York1 Environmental Waste Solutions Ltd.

The posting can be found at ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-8417.

The Mississauga company has faced fierce opposition from residents and municipal governments over its plans to reopen an eight-hectare (20-acre) landfill and re-establish and expand an existing 0.8-hectare (two-acre) waste processing site to 25 hectares ( 62.5 acres) at 29831 Irish School Rd., less than a kilometer north of Dresden.

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York1 seeks permission to build a new landfill cell with capacity of 1.62 million cubic meters to accept about 1,000 tonnes a day of non-hazardous solid waste, including construction and demolition waste, and excess soil.

It also wants to develop a regenerative recycling facility to receive, store and process as much as 6,000 tonnes a day of solid, non-hazardous waste, including blue box waste, construction and demolition waste, tires, asbestos, excess soil and organic waste.

The ministry notice comes after minister Andrea Khanjin said on X this month that she would require York1 to complete a comprehensive environmental assessment of the proposals under the Environmental Assessment Act.

The notice also specifically addresses issues raised by local residents and municipalities about the proposed project.

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“We have heard the concerns of the people of Dresden about York1(‘s) . . . proposal to start receiving waste at a local landfill site that has not been in operation since the 1980s,” it said.

“We also know that an environmental assessment (EA) has never been completed for this site, because the landfill predates Ontario’s environmental assessment requirements for landfills,” it added. “We recognize the potential impact that a landfill of this size could have on the local residents and the surrounding environment.”

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But critics are raising questions.

“I see it as a complete run-around,” said Steven Thomas Peacock, treasurer of the Dresden CARED (Citizens Against Reckless Environmental Disposal). “It doesn’t make any sense to why they’re asking for this right now.”

The minister answers his own questions in the notice, Peacock said. “Why are we having to do this comment process all over again?”

He noted nearly 2,000 written comments were mailed in and at least another 1,000 comments were submitted online.

North Kent Coun. Rhonda Jubenville questioned the timing of the notice.

She believes there has been such a public outcry over the project, it may have been put forward “to calm the nerves of the constituents in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. . . affected by this.”

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She also notes a byelection will be held soon in the riding to replace Progressive Conservative MPP Monte McNaughton, a former labor minister who left politics last September. Premier Doug Ford has until early April to call the byelection to be held later in the spring — close to the notice’s May 10 comment deadline.

“There are no guarantees with this,” Jubenville said.

Stefan Premdas, chair of Dresden CARED, also questioned the notice’s filing Tuesday, the same day the Ontario budget was presented, which kept MPPs busy.

Councils in both Chatham-Kent and the south Lambton community of Dawn-Euphemia have made it clear to the province, they are unwilling hosts under Bill 197, Premdas said, “We would like to ask the minister to kill this now.”

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Even if an environmental assessment shows the old landfill is unsuitable site, it will cost communities “a lot of money defending (against) this bad project.”

North Kent Coun. Jamie McGrail said requiring a more extensive EA for the proposed projects is “a good step, but it doesn’t shut it down.

“Dresden doesn’t want it, regardless of an EA,” she added.

McGrail said is very important area residents comment before the deadline set out in the ministry notice.

The Chatham Daily News contacted the premier’s office, Environment Ministry and York1 seeking comment.

Chatham-Kent’s director of planning services Ryan Jacques said the municipality submitted comments March 15 for the first waste processing facility ERO and will comment on the proposed landfill project prior to that ERO deadline of April 11,

“Chatham-Kent is opposed in principle to these projects and requested the review of the project be suspended, and that the province designate the project so an environmental assessment can be carried out,” Jacques said.

“Through the new ERO posting, the province is now consulting on a proposed regulation to designate the project,” he added. “Chatham-Kent will comment on this proposal prior to the May 10 deadline.”

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