Speaking at Queen’s Park in Toronto today, May 22, 2025, Mayor Darrin Canniff addressed the Ontario Legislature, delivering a message of opposition to the proposed landfill site near Dresden.
In his speech, which was described as passionate by a committee member in attendance, Mayor Canniff brought forth the concerns of the people of Chatham-Kent, emphasizing the importance of protecting the health, environment, and quality of life of the people of Dresden and beyond, Municipal officials say.
Also in attendance at Queen’s Park was Chatham-Kent Ward 4 Councillor Jamie McGrail.
“We will not stand by while our community is put at risk,” McGrail stated, in a media release.
“This proposal threatens Chatham-Kent’s environment, water, and the well-being of our residents. This injustice goes beyond Chatham-Kent now; this could affect all rural municipalities and Indigenous communities throughout Ontario with dormant landfill sites on their doorsteps. We are all united in opposition to this proposal.”
The proposed landfill seeks to revive a dormant landfill site on Irish School Road, just north of Dresden.
The plan submitted to the Province contemplates significant waste processing operations, raising serious environmental and health concerns among local residents and officials.
In February 2024, Chatham-Kent Council unanimously passed a motion directing staff to submit formal objections to the Province, advocating for a full environmental assessment (EA) of the project.
This led to the Minister of the Environment approving Ontario Regulation 284/24, mandating a comprehensive EA for the site.
However, the recent introduction of Bill 5, the “Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025,” threatens to revoke this requirement, allowing the project to proceed without the previously mandated and extremely important environmental scrutiny, Municipal officials say.
Chatham-Kent administration has retained the services of Garrod Pickfield LLP, a law firm specializing in environmental and municipal law, and has engaged engineering experts to develop a robust opposition strategy.
Last week, Mayor Canniff also sent a letter to all Ontario municipalities seeking support from Councils across the province to speak out in opposition to Bill 5.
Chatham-Kent is actively engaging the community in its efforts.
It held a public meeting on May 5 to provide residents with updates on the municipality’s actions and offer guidance on how to participate in the opposition efforts.
In addition, Defend Dresden lawn signs are now available free of charge at municipal offices in Dresden, Wallaceburg, and Chatham, as well as at several local businesses in Dresden.
Residents are encouraged to display these signs to show solidarity and raise awareness.
In his speech, Mayor Canniff said: “They are trying to force through a massive landfill on the border of our town. It is a location that cannot be supported. They are doing this without proper environmental, cultural, agricultural, economic, traffic or engineering studies, so I stand before the committee today saying ‘location, location, location.’ How can we destroy a community of 3,000 people by locating a major landfill so close to our community? I get that the province needs to be looking to the future; as a Council member, I need to be looking towards the future… we need to come up with the best solution, and locating a dump next to Dresden is not a good solution.”
For more information and updates on the municipality’s efforts, visit: www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca/defend-dresden
