Organized by local resident Angie Mills-Richards, a peaceful human chain protest is planned for Sunday, Aug. 10, in Dresden as part of growing grassroots opposition to Bill 5 and the proposed expansion of the Dresden Waste Disposal Site.
The demonstration will stretch along Highway 21 from Irish School Road to St. George Street, forming what organizers call “a powerful symbol of unity against environmental harm and government overreach.”
“This is a grassroots movement organized by community members who care deeply about preserving the land and waterways for future generations,” said Mills-Richards on the Facebook page promoting the event. “Join us as we stand side by side to protect what matters most — our farmland, our water, our children’s future.”
Participants are encouraged to bring comfortable shoes, a water bottle, and, if they choose, signs. “Let’s link arms and show the world we are united, and we will not be ignored,” Mills-Richards said. “Say no to Bill 5. Say yes to community, clean water, and accountability.”
The protest comes as the Municipality of Chatham-Kent continues to voice strong opposition to the implications of Bill 5 and the Dresden landfill expansion. Officials say the municipality remains committed to environmental protection and community well-being, working with the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) to advocate for change.
Ward 4 Councillor Jamie McGrail raised the issue at ROMA, where she serves on the board, prompting AMO to bring it forward at the provincial level. Chatham-Kent supports AMO’s recent submission to the Ontario government, which calls for a more responsible approach to environmental approvals, particularly for landfill developments.
“I sincerely appreciate AMO for standing with Dresden and, more broadly, with rural Ontario on this important issue,” McGrail said in a media release. “With AMO’s support, I strongly believe it is time for the provincial government to take a step back and re-evaluate its position—considering the real and lasting impacts this decision could have on small-town and rural communities across the province.”
Councillor Rhonda Jubenville also thanked McGrail for bringing the matter forward, adding, “This only demonstrates that there continues to be many organizations and citizens throughout Ontario who are against Bill 5, and specifically, bringing a landfill to Dresden without a comprehensive environmental assessment completed.”
“I, along with all of Chatham-Kent Council, continue to advocate for Dresden and surrounding areas to oppose Bill 5,” she said. “I continue to respectfully offer an invitation to Premier Doug Ford to visit Dresden and the potential landfill site.”
Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff reiterated the municipality’s position.
“This project would dramatically increase the landfill’s capacity and introduce new industrial activities less than a kilometre from homes, farms and water systems, all without the full environmental review that such a proposal would normally require,” Canniff said.
While municipal officials acknowledge the need to expand landfill capacity in Ontario, they emphasize that doing so without modern, risk-based environmental safeguards could lead to lasting harm.
For more information on Chatham-Kent’s advocacy efforts and updates on the proposed expansion, visit www.letstalkchatham-kent.ca/DefendDresden.
