Hello, I am writing as a…

Hello,

I am writing as a neighbour who lives near your Gage Avenue facility and as a parent raising children in this community. I am extremely alarmed by York1 Gage Transfer Ltd.’s application to expand operations to include construction and demolition waste, asbestos waste, and excess soil from across Ontario.

This is not just a technical or administrative change. For the families who live near this site including mine this proposal feels like a direct threat to our health, our safety, and the place we call home.

We already carry the burden of living beside an active waste facility. Expanding it to include asbestos waste processing brings fear, stress, and uncertainty into our daily lives. As a parent, I cannot ignore the potential risks this could bring to my children. No parent should have to worry about what might be released into the air or how their neighbourhood could be impacted by increased and more hazardous waste activities.

Our community is made up of families, seniors, children, and long-time residents who simply want to feel safe in their own homes. The idea that asbestos waste something known to be dangerous even in small exposures could be handled so close to where we live, learn, and play is deeply distressing.

Under Ontario’s Environmental Bill of Rights, we as citizens have the right to be heard on decisions that affect our health and environment. And right now, our voices are filled with fear and opposition. We are not against development or progress, but we cannot accept an expansion that puts our wellbeing at risk.

I am urging York1 to reconsider this proposal. Please understand the very real human impact this decision would have on the people who live around your facility. We are not statistics we are families who want to feel safe in our community.

Thank you for taking these concerns seriously.