Lambton County Council is joining the effort calling for an environmental assessment (EA) at a proposed landfill project in nearby Dresden.
The provincial government recently tabled legislation that would remove environmental assessment requirements for the eight hectare project.
Except for City/County Councillor Bill Dennis, members of council on Wednesday supported a motion by Dawn-Euphemia Mayor Al Broad that county council request the EA for the York1 waste disposal site be required, and the request be forwarded to the premier, Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey, Lambton-Kent Middlesex MPP Steve Pinsonneault, and the minister of environment.
"Our wonderful premier had decided there was going to be an environmental assessment done and now he's changed his mind," said Broad. "He's introducing this act called the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act (Bill 5). It's funny how you call it protect Ontario and then you pull the EA away, it doesn't make any sense to me."
Warwick Township Mayor Todd Case said the EA process is crucial.
"We are currently, in Warwick Township, 50 per cent through an EA for the Twin Creeks site," said Case. "What happens when that EA process is removed, public consultation trickles compared to what it does in a regular EA process. That goes from the municipality of Chatham-Kent, but also First Nation communities such as Walpole Island. So it's so important that this EA process takes place."
Councillor Broad said he thinks it's important Lambton County Council make its voice heard too.
"There is in York1's own information, 700 trucks going to come from somewhere, everyday, 24 hours a day, seven days a week so they could be running by this facility right here," said Broad.
York1 was proposing a landfill with an estimated disposal capacity of 1.62 million cubic metres and a proposed maximum fill rate of 365,000 tonnes per year.
Meanwhile, Chatham-Kent is encouraging residents to share their concerns about the project online through the Environmental Registry of Ontario website.