Walker Environmental Group Agrees To Suspend Public Consultations

Wednesday, 25 March 2020 at 10:38

Walker Environmental Group has agreed to temporarily suspend public consultations as part of the Environmental Assessment for the proposed Southwestern Landfill.

INGERSOLL - Walker Environmental Group has agreed to temporarily suspend public consultations as part of the Environmental Assessment for the proposed Southwestern Landfill.

They made the move after receiving a formal request from the The Joint Municipal Coordinating Committee that includes representatives from Zorra Township, the Town of Ingersoll, the Township of South West Oxford and Oxford County.

The previous deadline for the public consultations was June 15th and that will be extended indefinitely. You can read the full statement from Walker below:

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of social distancing, Walker has temporarily suspended public consultations to gather community input on its draft Environmental Assessment (EA) report for the proposed Southwestern Landfill in the Township of Zorra.

The previously scheduled June 15th deadline for members of the public to comment on the EA will be extended so the community can stay focused on their health and wellbeing. Walker previously cancelled the first planned open house on the draft EA – scheduled for March 25th as a safety precaution.

Zorra Mayor Marcus Ryan, who chairs the Joint Municipal Coordinating Committee, requested that Walker suspend the consultation during the ongoing public health emergency. Project Director Darren Fry says they take the public's safety very seriously.

"We agree with Mayor Ryan and members of the Joint Municipal Coordinating Committee that residents need to be given time to focus on their health and safety. We look forward to engaging them and receiving their
feedback at a later date."

Walker will monitor the situation in coming weeks, take guidance from public health officials and work with local municipal leaders to determine when to resume public consultations on the draft EA. Further details will be shared at walkerea.com and on the project Facebook page.

Released on March 2, 2020, the draft EA report is a compilation of all of the scientific research and community engagement that has been completed over the past eight years to help the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks assess the merits of the proposal. The report provides comprehensive findings of highly technical studies examining potential effects of the proposed landfill operation on the environment and surrounding community. It also identifies mitigation measures that would be undertaken to eliminate or reduce any potential negative effects.

Although Walker’s Ingersoll office has been temporarily closed due to COVID-19 safety precautions, staff continue to monitor and respond to any phone calls at 1 (855) 392-5537 and all email inquiries at info@walkerea.com.