After local residents…

After local residents demanded it, the proposed waste disposal facility by York 1 in Chatham-Kent was approved for an environmental assessment in 2024. Despite threats of border interruptions and tariffs, it is not clear why the government has decided to use special legislation to exempt this project from environmental review. The province has anticipated the need to expand its landfill capacity for years. Since 2023, Ontario exports nearly a third of its trash across the border and has had time to explore alternatives for managing waste. This is no excuse for circumventing an environmental assessment.

Must we remind the government about the Walkerton water crisis in 2000 which resulted in the deaths of seven people and illness in over 2,300 others due to E. coli contamination in the town's water supply. This event is the worst public health crisis involving municipal water in Canadian history and must not be repeated. Government failure to do an environmental assessment puts the local residents at risk not only from water contamination but also health risks posed by particulates, air pollution and noise. Please remove this facility from exemption of the requirement for environmental assessment.