The Dresden landfill project…

The Dresden landfill project has sparked significant opposition due to its proximity to the town and the removal of environmental assessment (EA) requirements under Bill 5. The proposed landfill site is less than one kilometre from Dresden, raising concerns about air quality, groundwater contamination, and increased truck traffic.

Local residents, environmental groups, and Walpole Island First Nation have mobilized against the project, arguing that the fast-tracked approval process under Bill 5 bypasses critical environmental safeguards. The landfill would operate 24 hours a day, with up to 200 trucks per day transporting waste near residential areas. Critics warn that without a full EA, the project could pose serious risks to local ecosystems, including Molly’s Creek and the Sydenham River, which are home to 88 species listed under the Species at Risk Act.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has vowed to fight the removal of EA requirements, hiring legal and engineering experts to challenge the landfill proposal. Meanwhile, Walpole Island First Nation is calling for urgent federal intervention, citing violations of Indigenous rights and potential contamination of the Great Lakes, a drinking water source for nearly 30 million people.

Do not allow Bill 5 to pass and this dump to proceed without the full environmental assessment. This is careless and the potential dangers, irreversible!