Chatham-Kent pushes back against website promoting Dresden landfill project

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is accusing the company behind a controversial landfill proposal of trying to rebrand the project without addressing long-standing concerns.

In a statement Thursday, municipal officials called out a new website — Sustainable Dresden — launched by York1 Environmental Solutions, saying its content “bears striking resemblance” to a previously rejected landfill plan.

“Our message is clear: we do not support this project,” said Mayor Darrin Canniff.

“No matter how they attempt to spin it or dress it up, we will continue to fight to ensure Dresden is not used as a dumping ground.”

The municipality claims York1 has not contacted officials about its latest iteration of the project.

But York1 spokesperson Laryssa Waler says that’s just not true.

“We met with the Mayor of Chatham-Kent in February 2022 and had numerous meetings and calls throughout 2022 and 2023,” Waler said in a statement.

“Municipal support was communicated at these meetings.”

She said York1 agreed to limit accepted materials to non-hazardous construction and demolition debris at the municipality’s request — and maintains the site is not a new landfill.

“The YORK1 site in Dresden will not be a traditional landfill,” Waler said.

“The proposed changes to the site will actually help improve the environmental footprint […] while creating many local good jobs and spin-off economic activity.”

The proposal is currently tied to Bill 5 — a piece of provincial legislation that, if passed, would allow the project to proceed without a full environmental assessment.

That’s where Ward 4 Councillors Rhonda Jubenville and Jamie McGrail remain firm in their opposition.

“I stand strong with Dresden,” said McGrail.

“I will continue to work in collaboration with all the partners brought together in this fight.”

Jubenville warned of “devastating environmental impacts,” “species at risk,” and “detrimental effects of the potential increased truck traffic.”

York1, however, says it’s been transparent and continues to be open to dialogue.

“YORK1 remains committed to negotiating a generous host-community agreement,” said Waler, who also claimed that political pressure led local leaders to “publicly reverse their support” for the project.

The municipality disputes that it ever backed the plan.

A dedicated website, defenddresden.ca, outlines Chatham-Kent’s position and previous council votes.

Waler added: “It’s understandable that residents and local leaders would have concerns. But this is not household waste. This is about recycling — not dumping.”