OPAL President Releases Statement On The Province's New Legislation To Approve New Landfills

Thursday, 9 July 2020 at 11:10

OPAL Alliance President Bryan Smith says an official announcement of the bill will be made in Ingersoll on July 16th.

INGERSOLL - Bill 197 was introduced to the Legislature of Ontario at Queen's Park on July 8th, 2020. It requires the support of any community within 3.5 kilometres of a proposed dump site to be in favour of it before the Minister of the Environment can approve it.

As you know, Walker's planned dump would be much closer than that to homes and farms in Zorra, to businesses and residences in Ingersoll, and to historic sites and houses in Southwest Oxford's Beachville and Centreville. The bill then would reject Walker's plan. This is a major battle won!

An official announcement of the bill will be made on July 16, at 1:00 pm at the gazebo square on Thames Street in Ingersoll. This is the date and time selected by MPP Hardeman's office. Mayors and ministers are planning to be there. You are invited too.

This will be a grand occasion for wearing your "stop the dump" T-shirts and for temporarily uprooting your anti-dump lawn sign to bring with you. (If you don't have a lawn sign but want one in the meantime, contact bryasmit@oxford.net; if you want one for the event, we will have them with us).

Please be aware that our fight for environmental health has also been a fight for human health. In light of the COVID 19 crisis, please maintain a space of 2 yards between you and anyone who is not a member of your household or circle. Please also wear a reusable mask. Avoid contact such as handshakes, high fives, or with any surfaces which could harbour germs. We want you healthy and happy.

OPAL thanks the people who have done years of work to stop the dump. Further news will follow. There are press releases which will be posted to Facebook. Check out OPAL's webpage soon.

This bill has not yet had its second and then final reading, so we know that the war is not entirely over. This announces a victory, one of many, we hope. We encourage you to continue to talk to neighbours, friends, family and politicians at all levels to ensure that Walker's dump plan does not happen.

In the meantime, happiness can be shared. Stay cool. Stay healthy.