Like most members of my…

Like most members of my community, I am not a scientist and have no expertise in pollution. There are many technical terms and chemical names in the proposal. We know that people in our community have a much higher chance of getting cancer than other communities in Ontario and it is reasonable to assume that these increased rates are not solely due to lifestyle choices. The steel industry has certainly been a critical contributor to the economic wellbeing of our community and our citizens, but we now know that the chemicals that are released to the air and to our water systems have damaged our people and our environment. In today's world, no business should be allowed to knowingly release known cancer-causing elements to citizens, without a clear acknowledgement that these releases are deadly. Citizens and communities in close proximity to these industries should have the right to clear knowledge of the risks and there should be compensation available to all those who can reasonably be expected to suffer as a result of emissions--planned or unplanned--that exceed stringent guidelines. We also need to have stronger, more regular enforcement from Ontario, when bad things happen. The health of citizens should always trump corporate interests.