Chatham-Kent is prepared to fight to keep a landfill away from Dresden.
At Monday night’s council meeting, councillors voted unanimously to allocate up to $50,000 from the strategic reserve towards the necessary steps to oppose this landfill and waste processing proposal.
In June of 2024, the Environment Minister approved Ontario Regulation 284/24, which would require a full Environmental Assessment (EA). A full EA would require York1 Waste Solutions to conduct more studies and provide the opportunity for community concerns and oppositions to be raised through a prescribed consultation process.
On April 17, the province revealed legislation that proposes removing EA requirements for the property at 29831 Irish School Rd. through the “Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025.”
In the proposed legislation, the government cites the need to provide additional waste capacity in Ontario due to the threat of US tariffs impacting the province’s waste sector.
Dave Taylor, CK’s Director of Legal Services, believes that to continue to be successful in this fight, residents and community members need to focus on “our town, our community, our economy, and the environment. And that is going to be what’s necessary again this time to put up this fight and make sure the province hears this.”
Michael Duben, CK’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), told council that he and the Mayor will meet with the leadership of the Walpole First Nation, who have recently voiced their opposition to the proposed landfill on social media.
A public meeting will be held on Monday, May 5, at 6 p.m. at the Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre in Dresden, where municipal staff, a lawyer, and an engineer will be present to share information and hear feedback from the community.
