Brady Road landfill closed until further notice: City

Sadness, anger and grief fuelling landfill blockade Days after the Premier said she wouldn't support a Winnipeg landfill search, protesters are taking a stand. CTV's Daniel Halmarson reports.

The City of Winnipeg has closed the Brady Road landfill until further notice.

The city made the announcement Friday morning via social media. "Contingency plans for garbage and recycling collection are in place, and we are trying to maintain these services without disruption during the closure," said a statement.

The Brady Road 4R recycling depot is also closed. Residents can still use the Panet Road and Pacific Avenue depots to dispose of recyclable materials.

People can also request an extra garbage or large item pickup to get rid of excess garbage, or contact local private landfill operators in the area to see if they are accepting residential garbage.

The closure is in response to a blockade by protesters that started Thursday afternoon.

"We did our part by doing the blockade," said protester Tre Delaronde. "So basically, it's on their part that they shut it down. It's not us. We didn't shut it down."

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls protest group is blocking the entrance to the Brady Road landfill.

They say it's in response to yesterday's announcement from Premier Heather Stefanson that the province would not move forward with a search of the Prairie Green Landfill.

"Because they want to dump on our sisters. But we are not letting that happen. So, because of Stefanson not acknowledging the feasibility study results...this is what it resulted to," said Delaronde.

The Brady Road landfill is the primary collection point for Winnipeg's garbage. Indigenous groups and supporters are calling for the complete shutdown of the landfill, where the remains of Rebecca Contois were found last June. Contois is one of four women suspected to have been murdered by alleged serial killer Jeremy Skibicki.

The province said it won't support the search of the Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two Indigenous women believed to be located there due to safety concerns.

Tammy Wolfe, with the Manitoba MMIWG Coalition, said she stands with the protesters.

"I find it very disappointing that the province is not interested in continuing this," she said. "I guess they did say that they would if the Feds decide to push forward, but they're not in alignment of doing it because they think that there's a risk. I don't agree with that."

Wolfe said she would be at the blockade if she could.

"I stand with them. I may not be there in body, but I am there in spirit and I feel like that is (the case) among all of us people who are personally impacted by this problem."

The city is advising commercial businesses affected by the closure to contact private landfill operators to make alternate garbage pick-up arrangements.

The protesters promise to continue blocking the road until at least Saturday.