The Municipality of Chatham-Kent (CK) has met with the proponent of a proposed landfill in Dresden, but not much came out of it.
On Monday night, CK Council heard that administration met with York1's planning consultant on Monday to request details of the company's changing proposal.
It was the first meeting between both parties in two years, according to administration.
Councillors also heard that York1 is asking the courts to exempt the landfill from current municipal approvals regulating the proposal, arguing it doesn't need to follow the approvals process because of prior dump activity on the site.
Emily Crawford, CK Director of Legal Services, told councillors that the municipality will be opposing the requested exemption by York1.
"Administration has been very clear with York1 throughout the evolution of what we understand to be their proposal for their site. Should they proceed, it would be the municipality's expectation that they follow the planning act approval processes that rest with council as the approval authority. So, that has been reiterated to York1 several times," said Crawford.
CK Acting Chief Administrative Officer Dave Taylor said the municipality was seeking clarity and more project details at the meeting on the evolving proposal, and better communication from the proponent.
The project has changed since it was removed from the previously approved environmental assessment process.
"York1 has suggested that there is actual changes. What was originally in those applications is not the same thing that their now pursuing," noted Taylor.
Taylor said the municipality has also asked York1 to submit background studies and other pertinent project materials to get a better handle on the proposal.
CK Chief Administrative Officer Michael Duben said York1 must be more accurate with its public information, adding the municipality will try and have another meeting if York1 submits all of the information requested.
"There's a lot of misinformation in the information they've given the public, and we've asked them to make sure going forward that they be more accurate, if not completely accurate in their information," said Duben.
Robert Simpson, a board member of Dresden Citizens Against Reckless Environmental Disposal (C.A.R.E.D.), told CK News Today that the group is still weighing appealing the recent decision by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) not to assess the environmental impact of the proposed Dresden landfill project.
