I am a property owner in the…

I am a property owner in the neighborhood and I urge the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to reject the proposed amendment to the Environmental Compliance Approval for the YORK1 Gage Transfer facility on Gage Avenue. Although this area may be zoned industrial, it is in reality a neighbourhood where people live, work and raise families. Treating this community as a dumping ground for expanded waste and soil processing is incompatible with the dignity, health and safety of residents.

The proposed daily receiving rate of up to 1,000 tonnes of excess soil and rock, alongside plans to store up to 1,600 tonnes outdoors, pushes far beyond what can reasonably be called small-scale. This expansion would introduce significant environmental and safety risks into a neighbourhood already struggling with industrial impacts. It is simply not compatible with a community in such close proximity to homes, sidewalks, parks and everyday pedestrian life.

Outdoor Storage and Neighbourhood Impacts

Because the indoor storage capacity remains limited to 550 tonnes, this proposal relies heavily on large outdoor stockpiles. This raises several direct risks for nearby residents:

increased dust and wind-blown soil entering nearby homes and public spaces

sediment-laden runoff during rain, snowmelt and freeze-thaw periods

soil tracking onto sidewalks and local roads, creating nuisance and safety issues

visual and environmental degradation in a mixed-use neighbourhood where people live and walk daily

Expanding outdoor operations to this degree would directly erode the quality of life and the basic dignity of residents who should not be forced to live beside an ever-expanding waste operation.

Emergency Response and Fire Safety

The application does not provide sufficient detail on fire-risk mitigation, emergency response planning, or public-safety procedures related to large outdoor soil and debris stockpiles. Before any approval is considered, the Ministry must verify that the operator has a robust, site-specific Emergency Response Plan addressing:

fire-prevention measures

runoff containment

dust-control strategies

clear public-facing safety protocols

Without these protections, this proposal presents an unacceptable risk for a neighbourhood directly adjacent to homes.

Conclusion

The scale and nature of this amendment are fundamentally incompatible with the lived reality of this neighbourhood. The increased noise, dust, traffic, and environmental risk would further degrade an already overburdened community. I strongly urge the Ministry to reject this proposal.