If the community of Dresden is going to win a David and Goliath fight against York1 Environmental Waste Solutions, it will take solidarity, time, and money.
That’s according to the grassroots advocacy group, Dresden CARED, or Citizens Against Reckless Environmental Disposal.
About 150 people came out to the Old Czech Hall last night to get an update from the volunteer group on York1’s proposal to reopen and expand the Irish School Road site. The Toronto-based company wants to re-establish a landfill and expand waste processing at 29831 Irish School Road, just north of Dresden to open a regenerative recycling facility.
The goal of Dresden CARED is to give citizens a voice in opposing the establishment of York1’s proposed regenerative recycling facility and advocating for responsible environmental practices.
Dresden CARED volunteer Wendy Vercauteren said the group is taking donations and could have expenses in the future in their fight with York1.
“We are also going to have some legal fees because we are going to have lawyers involved to see what they can do to help us,” Vercauteren said, adding the group is interested in seeing if Ontario’s Bill 197, which gives municipalities the ability to veto landfills, can apply to York1’s proposal.
“With his new EA (environmental assessment) proposal that the government has posted, in our minds that’s them saying that this is a new landfill. If this is a new landfill and it needs an EA, why can’t we use Bill 197,” Vercauteren said.
It’s also possible that Dresden CARED may need consultants and experts in the future to do reports that further their cause, which also comes with a hefty price tag.
Looking at other communities and their battles, it could be years for the dump issue to be resolved. A citizen’s group recently fought for eight years to prevent a private landfill near Ingersoll.
“Our fear is that this can go on for a number of years,” Vercauteren said, pointing out the drawn-out fight other communities have gone through.
“I hope to heck we don’t have to go for eight years, but we’re willing to fight as long as we have to to get this stopped.”
Rashin Alizadeh-Dimeski, a Chatham resident, attended the meeting to get information. She said it’s important for Dresden CARED to use other Ontario communities as a resource, as many have undergone a similar fight.
“What I wanted to get across in my comment is that there is strength in numbers,” said Alizadeh-Dimeski.
“When there is strength in numbers we can take comfort and be optimistic about those other examples where it’s the citizens that won.”
Alizadeh-Dimeski said it would be a colossal task taking on a big corporation, like York1, but told the crowd to look at other cases in the province and see how the citizens raised funds, held meetings, lobbied politicians, and went through a legal fight to eventually win their battle.
A second community meeting to talk about the next steps that Dresden CARED is planning to take is planned for April 11 at Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre.
Dresden CARED’s website is www.dresdencared.ca.