The organization representing municipalities across the province is taking issue with the Ontario government’s plans to allow an expansion of a dormant landfill near Dresden through Bill 5.
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) recently sent a letter to the province, urging a more balanced and responsible approach to environmental approvals, particularly those affecting waste disposal infrastructure, following the passage of Bill 5 last month.
In the letter, the AMO raises significant concerns about the precedent set by Bill 5, which removes the requirement for a comprehensive environmental assessment for the Dresden landfill at 29831 Irish School Rd., despite the site’s proximity to residential areas, agricultural land, and sensitive natural habitats.
The submission to the Ontario government was prompted by Chatham-Kent Ward 4 Councillor Jamie McGrail, who initially raised the issue with the Rural Ontario Municipal Association, where she sits as a member of the board.
“I sincerely appreciate AMO for standing with Dresden and, more broadly, with rural Ontario on this important issue,” McGrail said in a news release. “With AMO’s support, I strongly believe it is time for the provincial government to take a step back and re-evaluate its position, considering the real and lasting impacts this decision could have on small-town and rural communities across the province. There is a better solution out there, and together, we can find it.”
The AMO has called on the province to implement a modernized, risk-based landfill approval process, which accounts for the scale and complexity of proposed projects.
“The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is not supportive of the Dresden landfill expansion,” said CK Mayor Darrin Canniff. “This project would dramatically increase the landfill’s capacity and introduce new industrial activities less than a kilometre from homes, farms, and water systems, all without the full environmental review that such a proposal would normally require.”
Both the municipality and AMO have stressed the importance of proper environmental and community review processes to prevent long-term negative impacts.