I am a concerned resident of…

I am a concerned resident of Dresden, Ontario.

My husband and I moved from the GTA a few years ago to the most peaceful and community-centred town we found. Dresden was close enough to family nearby but small enough that we could establish strong roots in a tight-knit community. Our first year here, we were absolutely blown away by the Dresden Night Market; a community organized event that takes place twice a year and attracts upwards of 12,000 visitors from across Southwest Ontario.

We have since enrolled our eldest in Dresden Area Central School, where he partakes in many field trips across town. Teachers and students safely and confidently walk from the school to the fire hall, to the library, to the ice cream parlour and more. We are expecting our second child this summer and looking forward to him enjoying the same peace and safety we have come to expect from our town.

When we initially caught word about the Dresden Landfill, we were devastated. Simply the proximity to town was enough to make every parent in Dresden fear for the safety of their children. Our children’s security in our town would be compromised if the EA requirement was removed; we would no longer feel safe allowing our children to walk through town while hundreds of waste trucks are passing through, we would worry about the safety of the air, water and soil that we are surrounded by and the effect that constant noise and pollution would have on them.

Our community has, once again, rallied together and educated ourselves on the NUMEROUS issues that would affect us and the environment surrounding us:

- potential for asbestos contaminated material to be dumped less than 1km from town
- constant flow of traffic through town and through the surrounding streets
- 24/7 noise from truck traffic and landfill processing
- potential odour, dust and contamination of surrounding farmlands
- impact of social and community events such as the Dresden Night Market (which was voted in the Top 100 Events in Ontario)
- pollution and run off into Molly’s Creek and the Sydenham River
- damage to multiple species of wildlife and their surrounding habitats
- negative affects to our property value and the inability to sell our homes

If the Environmental Assessment requirement is removed, there would no longer be an obligation to ensure the impact on our community and the surrounding environment is not detrimental to our health and wellbeing.

I was also horrified to learn that removal of the EA requirement would remove the obligation to consult with First Nations communities. That is such a disgusting precedent to set and in direct opposition with the moral fibre of this country.

Please do not allow this proposal to pass. The effect to Dresden, Chatham and the surrounding communities would be insurmountable. You would also be helping to set a dangerous precedent for the province and a pathway for large corporations to steamroll small communities everywhere.

NO TO BILL 5!