Environmental Defence Canada…

Environmental Defence Canada opposes the removal of the Environmental Assessment (EA) requirements for the York1 waste disposal site project as proposed under the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025.

It is shameful that the government is proposing to backpedal on its promises just one year after designating this project for a comprehensive EA.

EAs allow for public scrutiny of developments that are likely to have an impact on the environment and the local community. Each project requires a full assessment to determine whether it is able to deliver what the proponent suggests, whether the project should go ahead, and if mitigation measures are needed. A project of this size should be subject to public scrutiny, monitoring and reporting to ensure it is not creating unintended harm to the environment and the health of the surrounding community.

If the dump is developed without an EA, the extent of the impacts on the environment and the community will not be fully known until it is too late, and the threats have already become a reality for Chatham-Kent.