Latest news with #LaryssaWaler
CTV News
19 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘What the heck is going on?': Dresden residents upset with heavy equipment at controversial landfill property
Dresden residents are expressing their dismay as heavy equipment has been seen at a controversial landfill property. York1 Environmental Waste Solutions has started 'housekeeping and prep work' at 29831 Irish School Road, just north of the small town. One resident spotted the heavy equipment on York1 transport trucks Monday and posted it to social media. 'I thought, oh no! Here we go. It's started already,' Wendy Vercauteren told CTV News on Thursday. 'We've had periods of nothing happening and then we see this and it's just 'What the heck is going on!'' York1 spokesperson Laryssa Waler confirmed a 'small crew' is on site with heavy equipment. 'The tasks underway — grounds clean‑up, grading, removal of legacy debris, and installation of basic environmental controls — are all activities that are expressly permitted under the site's existing Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA),' Waler wrote in a statement. Just three weeks ago, the Ford government passed Bill 5 which, among other things, exempts York1 from going through a comprehensive environmental assessment for their plan to build a regenerative recycling facility on the property. 'Our goal is to stabilize and modernize this site,' Waler wrote. 'Later this year we will apply to amend the ECA for waste transfer & processing so we can transition it into a modern Regenerative Recycling Facility that will handle only non‑hazardous construction and‑demolition materials.' 'I am not done fighting this thing,' Vercauteren said. She is a co-founder of Dresden Together, one of two grassroots groups fighting the York1 development. Vercauteren said she's not specifically opposed to a recycling facility, but not this close to town. And she is worried the province will use the ongoing concerns about a lack of landfill space for residential waste to pivot the plan near Dresden. 'Who's to say that at some point the province examines the landfill crisis in the province and that they could, with Bill 5, declare this as a special economic zone and change course and change it from a regenerative recycling facility and make it into a landfill,' Vercauteren said. 'We are still here and we're still fighting,' Stefan Premdas said Thursday, co-founder of the other group called Dresden CARED (Citizens Against Reckless Environmental Disposal). Premdas is organizing a rally for Thursday, July 3 in Dresden at Rotary Park, starting at 11:45 a.m. 'It is a show of community support and resistance that we're planning,' Premdas said. 'We spend a lot of time going to Queen's Park in small numbers. It's several hours away, and it's quite costly for our town to get there. And so, we want to do something local so that our entire community can participate.'
CTV News
27-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
‘Not a traditional landfill': Toronto waste company maintains Dresden proposal is not for household waste
York1 Environmental Waste Solutions wants to 'update' the existing landfill for recycling of non-hazardous constructions and demolition materials. The project is included in Bill 5: Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy. If approved by MPPs, Bill 5 will exempt York1's plans from an environmental assessment. 'The proposed changes to the site will still be required to undergo strict environmental oversight including Environmental Compliance Approvals (ECA) under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) and Ontario Water Resources Act (OWRA),' York1 spokesperson Laryssa Waler said in a statement Monday. 'The proposed changes to the site will actually help improve the environmental footprint of the site and bring it up to current standards, while creating many local good jobs and spin off economic activity.' When asked outright if household garbage would be processed at the site, Waler responded: 'I'm not sure why you think that this site will take household waste. It won't. It's for construction and demolition debris.' Confusing words? When announcing Bill 5 on April 17, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said '40 per cent of waste from companies and people are heading to the U.S.' The Premier said they are concerned U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats could eventually restrict the flow of trash across the border. Meantime, another MPP spoke about the project in terms of household waste. During a committee meeting on May 23, Toronto-Lakeshore MPP was asking questions of Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff. 'A lot of people shoes, they have rubber soles. Now these all end up in landfills pretty well,' Rudy Cuzzeto put to Canniff. 'You know that Ontario pretty well exports most of our garbage to the U.S? Do you agree with that?' 'My understanding is 40 per cent,' Canniff responded. 'Yes, 40 per cent. So now, with what's going on in the U.S. right now with President Trump, if he refuses to accept our 40 per cent of garbage, what should we do here in Ontario?' Cuzzeto asked Canniff. The mayor indicated he understands Ontario needs landfill capacity, but he urged the province to find a different location. CTV News reached out to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks for clarity about the Dresden proposal. The spokesperson copied a portion of the initial proposal before the province. 'Site to be used for the storage, transfer, and processing of non-hazardous solid waste from industrial, commercial, institutional and municipal sectors […] broken down as follows: A maximum average residual waste limit of up to 1,000 tonnes per day of non-hazardous solid residual waste for final disposal at waste disposal landfills A maximum of up to 3,000 tonnes per day of non-hazardous solid waste materials including construction and demolition wastes that are processable into recycled materials, and A maximum of up to 3,000 tonnes per day of non-hazardous solid waste materials including soil and soil-like materials wastes that are processable into recycled materials.' CTV News has asked the ministry to explain what 'residual waste' from 'municipal sectors' means and has yet to receive a response. York1 wants to work with the community Waler said York1 is willing to 'engage in discussions with decision makers about how the company can best support the community, similar to how other landfill sites in the community support local needs.' They have a new website which outlines their proposal for Dresden and offers an FAQ section. 'The YORK1 site in Dresden will NOT be a traditional landfill – it will be a Regenerative Recycling Facility for non-hazardous construction and demolition materials ONLY,' the website main page reads.
CTV News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Conservative strategist: 'I think they'll stick with Poilievre as leader'
Conservative strategist: 'I think they'll stick with Poilievre as leader' Conservative strategist Laryssa Waler talks Poilievre's future, party divisions, Trump's recent comments regarding the new PM, and Carney's U.S. ties.
