York1 Environmental Waste Solutions has a new hurdle to overcome with plans to turn a property north of Dresden into a Regenerative Recycling Facility, with Chatham-Kent council expressing strong opposition to the project.
Due to widespread community concerns, council passed a motion last night, saying the municipality opposed in principle to York1’s proposals. The motion also calls on the province to reject the applications York1 has made to amend current Environmental Compliance Approvals for waste processing, storage and transfer, and landfilling facilities.
North Kent Councillor Jamie McGrail brought forward the motion, which was approved unanimously by council.
“This is really important to Dresden and the surrounding area,” McGrail said about the community’s opposition to York1’s proposals for the property. “These are the steps necessary for us to proceed and hopefully make this go away,” McGrail said.
Councillors expressed concern with the lack of communication and interaction with York1 about the project.
Mayor Darrin Canniff didn’t hold back about his frustrations with York1.
“I’m really pissed off about this…They have done nothing. They’ve come in, and there’s significant environmental issues, transportation issues, the location a kilometre from Dresden…and we find out about it through a filing through the province,” Canniff said.
Canniff said zero communication with York1.
“Zero, zip, zilch as far as partnership.”
CKXS has reached out to York1 for comment about Canniff’s comments but hasn’t received a reply.
“They are trying to shove this down our throats and it’s very frustrating,” Canniff said, noting the motion is making a statement to York1.
“This is making a solid statement to say, no you have to talk to us because there are so many issues.”
East Kent councillor Steve Pinsonneault said council had no idea any of the proposals were coming. Pinsonneault, who is the Progressive Conservative candidate in the upcoming provincial by-election in the Lambton-Kent-Middlesex riding expected to be held this spring, said Chatham-Kent is not in favour of the recycling facility.
“In order for this to go forward we should be a willing community, and we’re not,” Pinsonneault said.
York1 purchased the 35-hectare property in December of 2022. The property located on Irish School Road has been used as an approved landfill site and waste processing/transfer site in the past.
York1 purchased the site, in part, because it holds existing Environmental Compliance Approvals for a 35-hectare waste disposal site with an 8-hectare landfilling area. York1 also acquired a 50-acre agricultural area north of the site and a 100-acre agricultural land south of the site.
York1 has made two applications to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to amend the ECA. The first one to increase the waste facility and daily receiving rate was on the MOECP’s website for public comment on January 31, and is available for the public to comment until March 16.
York1 applied again with a second application to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks on Monday, which is to amend the ECA to re-open and operate the dormant landfill for the disposal of non-hazardous solid construction and demolition waste from industrial, commercial, institutional, and municipal sectors, including excess soil that cannot be beneficially reused from the former town of Dresden.
The application for amendment to the landfill is to allow a maximum fill rate of 1,000 tonnes per day, or 365,000 tonnes annually. At this fill rate, the 8-hectare landfill would reach capacity in 2032, assuming construction of the engineered landfill was completed in 2024.
The application for amendment also includes environmental improvements to the existing landfill.
The application for amendment is also to allow operations at the landfill 24 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year.
The second application is now available for public comment on the MOECP website until April 11.
Chatham-Kent’s Director of Planning Ryan Jacques said the municipality will use the better part of the next two weeks to understand the technical elements and details of the proposal to make a thorough submission to the MOECP.
The motion passed on Monday night directs administration to make submissions to the province in opposition to York1’s applications.
Jacques said the property is currently zoned Extractive Industrial. He said planning act approvals by Chatham-Kent are required to change permitted uses in the zoning by-law.
York1 is holding a public meeting Friday to discuss its proposed project. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre at 1212 North St. in Dresden. There will be seating for 300 on a first-come, first-served basis.