Heather Wright/The Independent

Dresden residents plan to join hands to speak out about the redevelopment of the Dresden dump.

York1 Environmental plans a regenerative recycling centre for construction waste and plans to rebuild an old dump which held fly ash from the Dresden incinerator into a 20-acre modern landfill.

Initially, the community secured a promise from the province to force the project through an Environmental Assessment. But the government reneged on that promise with the Unleashing the Economy Act. It allowed York1 to move ahead through the less restrictive Environmental Compliance Approval process.

Aug. 10, residents plan to protest that move with a human chain. One of the organizers, Angie Mills said in an email to The Independent, they’re encouraging families to make a human chain from the landfill site on Irish School Road to the nearby high school and elementary school. That event begins at 1 pm.

Meantime the community group Dresden CARED has started a new petition asking for the repeal of the Unleashing the Economy Act. 

It says in part “we call on this government to revoke the Dresden Landfill because of its close proximity to the town, waterways, business and homes which will jeopardize the lives and livelihoods of not just the community of Dresden but potentially every Ontarian.”  

The group plans to present it when the legislature resumes in October.