Residents of Kincora and the city councillor for the northwest Calgary community are frustrated about illegal dumping next to homes, and they worry it’s contaminated a site meant for future housing. Piles of planks, mangled metal, even a tire and what appears to be a water tank are some of the items tangled up in a huge mess. The demolition material sits on a spot designated for more housing. The city issued a stop order on the work and is investigating. “It’s now considered a contaminated site. There’s going to have to be reclamation. You have used tires, hot water tanks, garbage. We don’t even know if there’s asbestos in what was dumped there,” said Jennifer Wyness, Ward 2 councillor. Rockport Group owns the land. The head of the Winnipeg-based company says they are also investigating the incident. “We sincerely apologize and will ensure the issue is properly rectified. Equipment is mobilized, and we are actively cleaning up the site,” a statement from owner DJ Trudeau read in part. “We deeply regret this incident occurred, and we will be reviewing our procedures to ensure protocols are adhered to going forward.” Rockport owns GME Excavation, which had trucks on-site while the dumping was happening. It hired Calgary-based Cooney’s Trucking, which also says it’s investigating. “This was semi-truck after semi-truck dumping garbage on this site. It’s unbelievable that people think this is an action that’s acceptable in this city,” said Wyness. One resident says after bylaw officers showed up to stop the illegal dumping, they saw more junk loads being left on the pile. Other residents say crews started weeks ago by moving dirt, which now surrounds the junk, raising questions about whether there were plans to bury it. “It’s atrocious,” said Wyness. The debris was dumped just a few blocks from a landfill. The area councillor said tougher penalties are needed to deter illegal dumping. “A $120 ticket is a (drop) in the bucket, and you can see why this action happens,” said Wyness. According to the city, dumping on private property can result in a fine of $250. The city says serious cases—which would include construction waste or environmental damage—can lead to penalties of up to $10,000. Cleanup costs often fall on the community, the city says.
