As a resident of Thamesville…

As a resident of Thamesville, located just minutes from Dresden and proudly part of Chatham-Kent, I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed landfill and waste facility at 29831 Irish School Road.

While this facility may be planned just outside Dresden, it will undoubtedly affect all of Chatham-Kent. We are a connected region — our roads, our water systems, our schools, and our farmland do not stop at town lines. What happens in Dresden matters to Thamesville, and to every community in this municipality.

This proposal is deeply concerning for several reasons:
    •    The site is just over 800 metres from the town of Dresden and within close proximity to two schools. That is far too close for a project of this size and nature. There are widely accepted reasons why landfills should be located no less than 3.5 km from residential communities — to protect air quality, safety, and long-term health.
    •    The project would bring 700 trucks per day through local roads — a burden not just for Dresden, but for surrounding communities like Thamesville, where roads and emergency response services would also feel the pressure.
    •    The risks of asbestos and silica dust, groundwater contamination, and long-term environmental degradation are simply too high. Chatham-Kent is a region of prime farmland, clean water, and tight-knit communities — not a place to gamble with hazardous waste.

We are also deeply troubled by the track record of York1, the company behind this proposal. They have been fined for environmental violations, failing to track hazardous soil, and even faced consequences for a workplace fatality. This is not a company that has earned our trust, and certainly not one we want operating next to homes and schools.

Most importantly, Chatham-Kent Municipal Council has unanimously opposed this proposal, and the people of Dresden have made it clear they do not want this in their backyard — and as their neighbours in Thamesville, we stand with them.

I urge the Ministry to keep Ontario Regulation 284/24 in place and require a full Environmental Assessment. Anything less would be a grave injustice to the residents of Dresden, Thamesville, and the broader Chatham-Kent community.