Removing Environmental Assessment Requirements for the York1 Waste Disposal Site Project

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.