This consultation was open from:
April 17, 2025
to May 17, 2025
Decision summary
The environmental assessment requirements for the York1 waste disposal site project were removed with the Royal Assent of the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, on June 5, 2025, to help provide additional waste capacity in Ontario.
Decision details
On June 5, 2025, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, (the Act) received Royal Assent.
With the passing of this act, the York1 Environmental Waste Solutions Ltd.’s landfill and waste processing proposal is exempt from requirements under the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) to help provide additional waste capacity in Ontario.
The content of the Act specific to the York1 waste disposal site project (the project) is the same as was proposed in the original proposal posting.
The legislation:
- revokes Ontario Regulation 284/24: Designation - Chatham-Kent Waste Disposal Site, which designated the project as a Part II.3 project requiring a comprehensive environmental assessment; and
- amends the EAA to exempt the project from other Environmental Assessment (EA) requirements
Should the project move forward, the project will remain subject to strong provincial oversight and other regulatory requirements including Environmental Compliance Approvals under the Environmental Protection Act and Ontario Water Resources Act.
Effects of consultation
A total of approximately 2162 submissions were received during the 30-day public review and comment period.
The comments received were reviewed and considered, and included the following key themes:
- opposition to the proposal
- support for the proposal (4 submissions in support)
- need for the landfill
- need to look at alternatives for waste management in Ontario
- past compliance issues
- concerns regarding the proposed expanded service area for waste processing to include all of Ontario and potential to receive the City of Toronto’s waste
- need for consultation with residents and Indigenous communities
- proximity to residents, schools, and other sensitive features
- proximity to the floodplain and impact of severe weather events
- historical land use as a gun range and bomb disposal site
- potential impacts to:
- species at risk
- water quality, specifically the underlying aquifer, Molly’s Creek and the Sydenham River
- naturally occurring gas levels along Kettle Point aquifer
- prime agricultural land
- cumulative effects and human health
- increased traffic, noise, methane gas and odour
- property values
- tourism
MECP reviewed and considered the comments received on the proposal. No changes were made to the proposal in response to the comments received. The proponent will be required to obtain Environmental Compliance Approvals under the Environmental Protection Act and Ontario Water Resources Act before it can proceed with the project.
In addition, the ministry, with assistance from the proponent, will consult with Indigenous communities and the public on Environmental Compliance Approval applications for the proposed project, and consider any comments received before deciding on such applications.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
135 St. Clair Ave W
4th Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
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Contact
Dresden Landfill Comments
135 St. Clair Ave W
4th Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Original proposal
Proposal details
Proposed Legislation
To help provide additional waste capacity in Ontario due to the threat of US tariffs impacting Ontario’s waste sector, the province is proposing to remove environmental assessment (EA) requirements for the York1 waste project through the proposed Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025.
This would include revoking Ontario Regulation 284/24 designating Chatham-Kent Waste Disposal Site and removing environmental assessment (EA) requirements for York1 Environmental Waste Solutions Ltd.’s proposal to resume landfill operations and expand waste handling, processing, and transfer operations at the former Dresden Tile Yard, in Chatham-Kent (the Project).
The proposed legislation, if passed, would:
- Revoke Ontario Regulation 284/24: Designation - Chatham-Kent Waste Disposal Site, which designates the Project as a Part II.3 project requiring a comprehensive environmental assessment; and
- Amend the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) to exempt the Project from other EA requirements.
The project will remain subject to strong provincial oversight and other regulatory requirements including Environmental Compliance Approvals (ECA) under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) and Ontario Water Resources Act (OWRA).
Proposed project
York1 Environmental Waste Solutions Ltd. is proposing to build an 8-hectare engineered landfill cell and re-establish landfill operations at an existing landfill site, including construction of any other works or facilities such as onsite roads, and fencing to receive waste and restart waste management activities and landfilling at the site, located at 29831 Irish School Road, in the former Township of Camden, Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Ontario.
The existing landfill site has a theoretical approved capacity of 1,620,000 cubic metres to landfill non-hazardous solid waste including construction and demolition waste and excess soil that are not reusable.
As part of the project, York1 Environmental Waste Solutions Ltd. is also proposing to re-establish and expand waste processing and transfer operations at the site, including expanding the existing 0.8-hectare waste processing site to 25 hectares.
Other activities are also anticipated, including:
- the construction of a new processing and sorting building capable of indoor storage
- the addition of waste classes for accepted and processed waste
- installation of stationary equipment for processing construction and demolition waste into alternative low-carbon fuels (ALCF) in the new processing/sorting building
- placement of mobile diesel-powered shredding/grinding equipment for wood/construction & demolition waste outdoors
- installation of a soil treatment/soil washing system for processing solid and liquid soil to recover sand and aggregate material
- construction of stormwater management infrastructure
Permitting requirements for the project
There are existing ECAs under the EPA for the site, which allow for an 8-hectare landfilling area and for a 0.8-hectare waste processing site within the 35-hectare property.
Modifications to the waste disposal site will be subject to ECA requirements for air, noise emissions, waste management activities and sewage works under the EPA and OWRA for the landfill site, as well as the processing and transfer facility.
Timelines
If the legislation is passed, it would come into effect on Royal Assent.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from April 17, 2025
to May 17, 2025
Connect with us
Contact
Dresden Landfill Comments
135 St. Clair Ave W
4th Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
1,531By email
41By mail
590