Heather Wright/The Independent

York1 officials say a letter sent to Dresden residents outlining its latest proposal for a regenerative recycling project is only the beginning of consultation for the project.

Monday, Dresden residents within 1.5 km of the site received an envelope in the mail addressed “current occupant” saying the company “is submitting” an application to change the Environmental Compliance Approval certificate for both the landfill and the transfer and processing site. The letter, dated, July 30, asks residents to submit their comments to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in the next 15 days.

The letter shows a scaled-back project from the original proposal which would have brought a total of 7,000 tonnes of waste to the area daily in up to 700 trucks. The new proposal will bring 4,000 tonnes daily to the site.

READ MORE HERE https://petrolialambtonindependent.ca/2026/08/10/york1-letter-asks-dresden-residents-for-comments-on-scaled-back-landfill-plan/

The letter sparked concern and confusion. The head of Dresden Together, Wendy Vercauteren, said the letter provided scant details and said the company should be meeting face-to-face with residents. She also voiced concern the project may not be going through the regular approval process which includes posting details on the Environmental Registry of Ontario which allows residents to comment on the plan.

The CAO of Chatham-Kent, Michael Duben, also voiced concern saying; “This is not a process that we’ve ever seen. This is not a process that the ministry has actually shared with us… this is happening very much sort of at the at the whim of the ministry.”

Duben added; “My view is anyone who wants to send in a comment ought to send in a comment because even if you’re not within the specified area in the notice, you could still be impacted…If you’ve got something to say about it, you should let the province know.”

But York1 spokesperson Laryssa Waler tells The Independent in an email the letter is only part of the consultation process.

“York1 sent its letter voluntarily, in advance of the ERO posting, so neighbours would hear about the applications directly. Once posted, the ERO provides a further formal public comment period,” Waler says in the email.

“The 15-day window after receipt of the letter is a voluntary timeline York1 set for its own notification, not a statutory deadline. Comments received after that date will still be reviewed and considered, and the ERO posting will provide a further formal comment period,” she added.

Waler did not directly answer where residents would be able to access the studies backing up York1’s plan, but says they will be part of the submission on the registry.

Meantime, Lambton’s General Manager of Infrastructure and Development, Jason Cole, won’t be waiting for the proposals to be posted to the ERO. The proposed landfill and recycling facility sits on the edge of the county and the trucks delivering to the site will travel down Lambton roads.

He said the county didn’t receive the letter from York1 about its submission directly. Chatham-Kent officials passed it along.

“Although not formally informed, the county does intend to submit comments,” he said.