By Staff
May 22, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Peel Region and the City of Hamilton have joined more than 50 municipalities across Ontario that have passed motions calling on the provincial government to give municipalities the right to approve new landfill sites. The campaign is being led by the Town of Ingersoll, Town Council, and concerned residents such as Ontario People Against Landfill (OPAL). Ingersoll mayor, Ted Comiskey, has been presenting to municipal councils across Ontario.
Burlington is not one of the 50 municipalities that has joined in the effort to give municipalities the right to have a say on whether or not a landfill site can be created in the city. Given the battle the city had with the Air Park and the dumping of soil that had not been properly assessed before it was dumped on the Air Park property, one would expect Burlington to be on the list of those who wanted the provincial legislation passed.
Municipalities want to be at the table when private operators create new landfill sites.
In addition to the 2.5 million people represented by the municipalities that are on the list, 100,000 individuals have signed a petition calling on the government to give municipalities a say in where landfills are sited. More than a dozen more motions are in the approval process.
“Municipal leaders are beginning to see that Ontario’s highways have become Toronto’s garbage chute, and municipalities have no say in where 6.7 million tonnes of garbage a year from its office and commercial buildings are going to land,” said Comiskey.
“No town wants to be in the position that Ingersoll and Zorra are currently in,” Comiskey said. “Right now, we have almost no say in whether or not a private company can locate a new dump in our neighbourhoods.”
In April, PC MPP Ernie Hardeman introduced a private member’s bill to create new legislation that would require municipal approval for any new landfill sites in the province as part of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Changes (MOECC) environmental approval process. The bill passed Second Reading unanimously, just before the legislature rose for the coming election on June 7.
Comiskey said, “It was wonderful that Ernie Hardeman took the battle to the floor of the legislature. It’s great to see support from all three parties on this issue. But we need to keep the pressure on to make sure that whatever party forms the next government, it makes this legislation a priority. This affects not just us in Oxford County, but every municipality across our province.”
Municipal leaders are beginning to see that Ontario’s highways have become Toronto’s garbage chute, and municipalities have no say in where 6.7 million tonnes of garbage a year is going to land.
Nearly 8 out of 10 Ontarians feel municipalities should have a say in whether they host landfills, contrary to current legislation, according to a poll by Public Square Research. The poll also found that 27% of Ontarians would accept waste from other towns or cities.
Comiskey said, “We are fighting for the right of municipalities to determine if they want to host a landfill in their communities, or not. We need a level playing field with private waste companies so that the needs of residents are heard and respected. It is 2018, and it’s the right thing for the provincial government to do.”
