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CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Bill to help fast-track Dresden landfill passes
Provincial legislation to help fast-track a highly contentious landfill in Dresden, Ont. was passed on Wednesday. Provincial legislation to help fast-track a highly contentious landfill in Dresden, Ont. was passed on Wednesday. As part of Bill 5, 'Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act,' Ontario can exempt certain projects from the need for a full environmental assessment. 'Dresden is that special place where all the evils in Bill five will sort of happen first,' said Stefan Premdas, the board chair of Dresden C.A.R.E.D, an advocacy group formed in opposition to the landfill. Despite exhaustive efforts by Liberal and NDP MPPs to stall the vote, the Ford government pushed through the legislation. The bill will exempt the York1 Environmental Waste Solutions project on Irish School Road from a comprehensive environmental assessment. In recent months, Dresden residents, the Municipality of Chatham-Kent and Walpole Island First Nation have vehemently opposed the proposal. The long-defunct dump was previously used as a tile yard and ash landfill. By reopening it, residents fear there will be adverse changes to the environment, impacting their health, wildlife, and nearby ecosystems. York1 has insisted the site will recycle construction materials and non-hazardous soils, but municipal officials have disputed the claim. 'We are feeling emotional as to Bill Five passing, but make no mistake, us being emotional and sad does not mean we've stopped fighting,' Premdas told CTV News. The bill has been heavily scrutinized by First Nations Communities, who say their rights have been trampled. Leela Thomas, chief of Walpole Island First Nation, told CTV News the government delivered a 'slap in the face' to treaty rights. When asked about Dresden, Thomas noted they don't believe the fight is over. 'We're going to fight this to the Supreme Court if we need to,' Thomas said. Dresden area MPP Steve Pinsonneault was absent Wednesday from his seat at Queen's Park when Bill 5 was approved. Pinsonneault had previously broken with party rank by publicly voicing his opposition to the legislation. In a previous post on social media, Pinsonneault said even if he voted against the bill, it wouldn't change the outcome. CTV News reached out to MPPs across Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent but only received one response. Andrew Dowie, MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh, downplayed the concerns over the landfill proposal. 'This is not a new landfill in Dresden. It is already approved for waste, and the same very strict environmental scrutiny through the ECA, the Environmental Compliance Approval process, will remain,' Dowie said. 'This is not zero regulation. This is pretty tough regulation.' On several occasions, the Ford government has defended the legislation because of dwindling landfill space. 'The United States, particularly Michigan, has said they're tired of taking in our waste generated in Ontario, and we do not have an overabundance of landfill capacity,' Dowie added. — With files from CTV Windsor's Michelle Maluske and Travis Fortnum.
Toronto Sun
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Dresden residents, First Nations take landfill fight to Queen's Park
Published May 13, 2025 • 3 minute read Residents stand outside the Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre in Dresden, Ont., to show their opposition to Bill 5 that would remove environmental safeguards for proposed massive landfill project in the area. Photo by Ellwood Shreve / Postmedia Network Local residents and a First Nation brought their fight against a large landfill to Queen's Park, where they accused the premier of trampling the community's concerns to fast-track a project backed by his donors. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The chair of a local advocacy group says the community feels betrayed by the decision to cancel an environmental assessment for the landfill just north of Dresden, a small rural farming community in southwestern Ontario. Stefan Premdas, the head of the group, questioned how the project got singled out in a controversial omnibus bill introduced by Premier Doug Ford's government. The Liberals have asked the integrity commissioner to look into whether the government gave the project preferential treatment because it's backed by lucrative Progressive Conservative donors. Ford says he doesn't know the developer and didn't look at who owned the project. He says Ontario sends about 40% of its waste to the U.S. and President Donald Trump could turn it away if trade disputes were to escalate. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It takes one phone call from President Trump to say cut us off, and then what do we do? We have to be prepared. It's an existing site, we need to expand it,' Ford told reporters on Tuesday. Read More York1, the company behind the project, is seeking to revive a small dormant landfill and expand it to service waste from across the province. Municipal officials have suggested the company is relying on outdated approvals, granted decades ago, to try to bypass a full environmental assessment of a project that would turn an area less than 1 km north of Dresden into one of Ontario's busiest waste sites. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The company did not respond to a request for a comment. Details of the developers' donations and lobbying efforts were first reported by The Trillium , a Queen's Park-based news outlet, and were cited by the Liberals in their letter to the integrity commissioner. The Trillium reported that executives at the companies and their family members had donated about $200,000 to the PCs since 2018. The Canadian Press has corroborated some of those political contributions recorded in a public Elections Ontario database. Under the developer's proposal, a small landfill dating to the 1960s that holds 40,000 cubic metres could expand to a total of 1.6 million cubic metres, enough to fill almost 650 Olympic-size swimming pools. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Officials have said the company also wants to establish waste-processing stations to receive up to 6,000 tonnes of waste per day, even though existing permits for the property dating to 1998 only allow for a tiny fraction of that amount. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Locals fear any leaching from the landfill could be disastrous for the area waterways and endangered species, and balk at the site's proximity to homes and schools. The property is also surrounded by prime agricultural land and the water around the site streams into the Sydenham River, home to some endangered species, including the spiny softshell turtle. An environmental assessment would have had to consider alternative designs or locations for the project. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Chief Leela Thomas of Walpole Island First Nation, whose reserve is just downstream of the project, says the government's backtracking not only threatens local biodiversity, but violates 'the spirit and intent' of Ontario's commitment to environmental protections. 'What message is the government sending when it is willing to trade away clean water, community safety, and climate resilience for the convenience of avoiding proper review and consent?' she said. The province initially announced in March 2024 it would pursue an environmental assessment for the project, citing community concerns. Shortly after that, the premier called a byelection in the local riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, where the successful PC candidate Steve Pinsonneault campaigned against the expansion. Then, in a surprise move, the government proposed to cancel that assessment as part of the omnibus Bill 5 introduced last month. Pinsonneault's office has not responded to a request for a comment. NDP Leader Marit Stiles claimed the government never intended to keep its promise to Dresden residents. 'This government will always promise anything and everything during an election, and then they turn around and break their promise,' she said. Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Columnists Editorials World
Global News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Dresden locals, First Nations take landfill fight to Queen's Park
Local residents and a First Nation brought their fight against a large landfill to Queen's Park, where they accused the premier of trampling over the community's concerns to fast-track a project backed by his donors. The chair of a local advocacy group says the community feels betrayed by the decision to cancel an environmental assessment for the landfill just north of Dresden, a small rural farming community in southwestern Ontario. Stefan Premdas, the head of the group, questioned how the project got singled out in a controversial omnibus bill introduced by Premier Doug Ford's government. The Liberals have asked the integrity commissioner to look into whether the government gave the project preferential treatment because it's backed by lucrative Progressive Conservative donors. Ford says he doesn't know the developer and didn't look at who owned the project. Story continues below advertisement He says Ontario sends about 40 per cent of its waste to the United States and President Donald Trump could turn it away if trade disputes were to escalate. 'It takes one phone call from President Trump to say cut us off, and then what do we do? We have to be prepared. It's an existing site, we need to expand it,' Ford told reporters on Tuesday. York1, the company behind the project, is seeking to revive a small dormant landfill and expand it to service waste from across the province. Municipal officials have suggested the company is relying on outdated approvals, granted decades ago, to try to bypass a full environmental assessment of a project that would turn an area less than a kilometre north of Dresden into one of Ontario's busiest waste sites. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The company did not respond to a request for comment. Details of the developers' donations and lobbying efforts were first reported by The Trillium, a Queen's Park-based news outlet, and were cited by the Liberals in their letter to the integrity commissioner. The Trillium reported that executives at the companies and their family members had donated about $200,000 to the PCs since 2018. The Canadian Press has corroborated some of those political contributions recorded in a public Elections Ontario database. Story continues below advertisement Under the developer's proposal, a small landfill dating back to the 1960s that holds 40,000 cubic metres could expand to a total of 1.6 million cubic metres, enough to fill almost 650 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Officials have said the company also wants to establish waste processing stations to receive up to 6,000 tonnes of waste per day, even though existing permits for the property dating back to 1998 only allow for a tiny fraction of that amount. Locals fear any leaching from the landfill could be disastrous for the area waterways and endangered species, and balk at the site's proximity to homes and schools. The property is also surrounded by prime agricultural land and the water around the site streams into the Sydenham River, home to some endangered species, including the spiny softshell turtle. An environmental assessment would have had to consider alternative designs or locations for the project. Chief Leela Thomas of Walpole Island First Nation, whose reserve is just downstream of the project, says the government's backtracking not only threatens local biodiversity, but violates 'the spirit and intent' of Ontario's commitment to environmental protections. 'What message is the government sending when it is willing to trade away clean water, community safety, and climate resilience for the convenience of avoiding proper review and consent?' she said. Story continues below advertisement The province initially announced in March 2024 it would pursue an environmental assessment for the project, citing community concerns. Shortly after that, the premier called a byelection in the local riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, where the successful PC candidate Steve Pinsonneault campaigned against the expansion. Then, in a surprise move, the government proposed to cancel that assessment as part of the omnibus Bill 5 introduced last month. Pinsonneault's office has not responded to a request for comment. NDP Leader Marit Stiles claimed the government never intended to keep its promise to Dresden residents. 'This government will always promise anything and everything during an election, and then they turn around and break their promise,' she said.
Winnipeg Free Press
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Dresden locals, First Nations take landfill fight to Queen's Park
TORONTO – Local residents and a First Nation brought their fight against a large landfill to Queen's Park, where they accused the premier of trampling over the community's concerns to fast-track a project backed by his donors. The chair of a local advocacy group says the community feels betrayed by the decision to cancel an environmental assessment for the landfill just north of Dresden, a small rural farming community in southwestern Ontario. Stefan Premdas, the head of the group, questioned how the project got singled out in a controversial omnibus bill introduced by Premier Doug Ford's government. The Liberals have asked the integrity commissioner to look into whether the government gave the project preferential treatment because it's backed by lucrative Progressive Conservative donors. Ford says he doesn't know the developer and didn't look at who owned the project. He says Ontario sends about 40 per cent of its waste to the United States and President Donald Trump could turn it away if trade disputes were to escalate. 'It takes one phone call from President Trump to say cut us off, and then what do we do? We have to be prepared. It's an existing site, we need to expand it,' Ford told reporters on Tuesday. York1, the company behind the project, is seeking to revive a small dormant landfill and expand it to service waste from across the province. Municipal officials have suggested the company is relying on outdated approvals, granted decades ago, to try to bypass a full environmental assessment of a project that would turn an area less than a kilometre north of Dresden into one of Ontario's busiest waste sites. The company did not respond to a request for comment. Details of the developers' donations and lobbying efforts were first reported by The Trillium, a Queen's Park-based news outlet, and were cited by the Liberals in their letter to the integrity commissioner. The Trillium reported that executives at the companies and their family members had donated about $200,000 to the PCs since 2018. The Canadian Press has corroborated some of those political contributions recorded in a public Elections Ontario database. Under the developer's proposal, a small landfill dating back to the 1960s that holds 40,000 cubic metres could expand to a total of 1.6 million cubic metres, enough to fill almost 650 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Officials have said the company also wants to establish waste processing stations to receive up to 6,000 tonnes of waste per day, even though existing permits for the property dating back to 1998 only allow for a tiny fraction of that amount. Locals fear any leaching from the landfill could be disastrous for the area waterways and endangered species, and balk at the site's proximity to homes and schools. The property is also surrounded by prime agricultural land and the water around the site streams into the Sydenham River, home to some endangered species, including the spiny softshell turtle. An environmental assessment would have had to consider alternative designs or locations for the project. Chief Leela Thomas of Walpole Island First Nation, whose reserve is just downstream of the project, says the government's backtracking not only threatens local biodiversity, but violates 'the spirit and intent' of Ontario's commitment to environmental protections. 'What message is the government sending when it is willing to trade away clean water, community safety, and climate resilience for the convenience of avoiding proper review and consent?' she said. The province initially announced in March 2024 it would pursue an environmental assessment for the project, citing community concerns. Shortly after that, the premier called a byelection in the local riding of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, where the successful PC candidate Steve Pinsonneault campaigned against the expansion. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Then, in a surprise move, the government proposed to cancel that assessment as part of the omnibus Bill 5 introduced last month. Pinsonneault's office has not responded to a request for comment. NDP Leader Marit Stiles claimed the government never intended to keep its promise to Dresden residents. 'This government will always promise anything and everything during an election, and then they turn around and break their promise,' she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2025.
