As a resident of Chatham…

As a resident of Chatham-Kent, I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed landfill, recycling, and waste facility at 29831 Irish School Road near Dresden.

While my immediate home is not within Dresden, I have close family who live there, including young children who attend local schools — both of which are located within a dangerously short distance from the proposed site. This landfill would be situated just over 800 metres from the town and less than 1.5 km from two schools, exposing our loved ones to increased risks from air pollutants, truck traffic, noise, and potential contamination of water and soil. These are not small concerns — they are fundamental health and safety risks that will affect real people, including my family.

But this isn’t just a Dresden issue — it’s a Chatham-Kent issue. The impact of 700 trucks per day, hazardous dusts like silica and asbestos, and possible long-term contamination doesn’t stop at town borders. Our roads, emergency services, agricultural land, water sources, and overall municipal infrastructure will all be placed under enormous strain if this facility moves forward.

Chatham-Kent already hosts a major landfill (Ridge Landfill), and our municipality has done more than its fair share to support Ontario’s waste management needs. We have shown leadership in housing development, infrastructure support, and energy projects. To ask this community to accept another landfill — especially one backed by a company with a history of environmental violations and safety issues — is simply unjust.

I strongly urge the Ministry to retain Ontario Regulation 284/24 and to require a full Environmental Assessment. If this project cannot withstand proper environmental scrutiny, it should not move forward. The safety of Dresden and the broader Chatham-Kent community must come before private profit.