Heather Wright/The Independent

When Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff first got the call, he thought it was good news. Instead, he’s gearing up for an all-out fight to stop York1 Environmental Waste Solutions from pushing through its plans to reopen the derelict Dresden dump.

Canniff got a call from the Minister of the Environment’s office Thursday around noon. When he returned the call, 10 minutes later, he was told about the province’s new bill – Unleashing Ontario’s Economy Act – would be introduced in 50 minutes and it would effect York1’s plan to turn the former Dresden dump into a 25-acre landfill and recycling centre for construction materials and soil.

“I thought the way he explained it first, was that it was a victory; that we’re done. And then, ‘no, no, no, it’s the opposite,'” says Canniff.

In the five minute call, Canniff learned the promised detailed Environmental Assessment demanded by the community and promised by the Ford Government before a by-election in Dresden’s riding – wouldn’t happen. Instead, the company could get its approvals through the Environmental Compliance Approvals process with less investigation of the environmental study of the impact of the project on people and the land and less public input.

https://petrolialambtonindependent.ca/2025/04/20/pinsonneault-disappointed-ford-government-reneges-of-promise-of-ea-for-dresden-dump/

Canniff says the minister’s representatives told him the ECA process would take “a lot less time.”

The mayor said he told the minister’s representative the municipality has “zero interest” in seeing this project move forward at all. “I’d let them know that we as municipality, we as a community, we as council, will be fighting this. And they said, ‘Yeah, we know.'”

The municipality already has environmental law expert Peter Pickfield working on the case. Pickfield has been the lawyer for Warwick Township and heads up its environmental review team for Twin Creeks Landfill in Watford. Canniff says he will now have to figure out how to fight this latest development.

“I think it (the approvals process) is all within the provincial realm now, too,” says Canniff. “So “I’m not sure. I don’t believe Chatham-Kent has any official say in it. Before, we could talk about zoning and various things like that, but we’re exploring that as well.”

Canniff says council will get an update Monday during the regular meeting and he urges the community to listen in.

“Everybody really anxious to do things. We’re going to be working with our end (with) individuals and the lawyer, etc, who’s has experience, and say, ‘what is it we can do as a community, to come together and to put our best foot forward and to make sure that our voices are very much heard in across the province.'”

There are also plans for a public meeting, likely at the Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre, to talk with the Dresden community about the best path forward. “By Monday, we’ll have a time and place we’ll be able to talk about because that’s a key piece; a lot of people want to know, ‘what can I do?’ You know, everybody’s pissed and well, they should be. But what can we do collectively as a community? What’s gonna make the most impact?”

The mayor, like some in the community, wonder just if they can have an impact – if this proposal to push the project forward is inevitable?

“It has that feel to it as though (that) it’s already unofficially approved,” he said adding the municipality is working with the lawyer “digesting” just what legal stand can be taken.

“I always believe there’s hope.”

And Canniff adds the community has a good argument; the old dump is not the right spot for a new landfill and recycling centre.

“It’s a less than a kilometre away from the town, and subject to what garbage they’re going to bring, I know they talked about commercial garbage. Now you you’re starting to hear that ‘R’ word – residential garbage and, like, really? To have a residential garbage dump within a kilometre of Dresden? It’s absolutely insane. Why don’t they just put it right downtown?

“How can you pick a worse spot, really?”

The proposal to move the York1 Environmental Waste Solutions project back into the Environmental Compliance Approval process is posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario. Residents have until May 17 to post comments about the process.

You can find the information here https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/025-0389