Bill would revoke certificate of approval for landfill site

By Douglas Glynn Sun Media
TORONTO – Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop’s private member’s bill aimed at revoking the certificate of approval for dump Site 41 passed second reading in the legislature yesterday by a vote of 40 to 11.
In a move that surprised many observers, a number of Liberals voted for the bill, along with Dunlop’s Conservative colleagues and the NDP. Not all the Liberal MPPs were present for the recorded vote.
Dunlop said afterward that the next step is for people to put pressure on the government to move the bill to committee.
“I don’t want it buried,” he said. “I felt positive about things this past week because other members — including Liberals — kept coming up to me saying they couldn’t believe the number of emails and phone calls they were getting,” he said. “I told them we’re never going to stop. There’s never going to be a landfill there.”
Dunlop said he was approached by a number of Liberal MPPs who said their constituents wanted them to support the bill.
Asked if he thought Environment Minister John Gerretsen would change his mind, he said “according to the premier and Gerretsen — who were swallowing the poison of the county — the science proves the site is OK.
“It’s not OK. We think we have enough background and expertise. We have the Steve Ogdens of the world who are saying there’s another choice.
“Of course, we are going to watch very carefully to see what happens with the calibrated Modflow to see what happens with that.”
He said he is offended by the way Simcoe County treated the Information and Privacy Commissioner. The Commissioner has ordered the county to obtain the Modflow from the engineering firm that produced it, but that has not happened.
“I hope the county will look at that in a more positive manner and hand over the information so we can look at it.”
Asked how soon the bill might go to committee, he replied it is not an easy task, “but I will be working on that. It’s a private member’s bill, but it’s a very good private member’s bill.”
If the bill as proposed were to becomes law, it would prohibit the disposal of waste at Site 41 and revoke the certificate of approval. In addition, it would extinguish certain causes of action that may exist concerning the site and entitle the County of Simcoe to compensation from the Crown for certain expenses, provided the Legislative Assembly authorizes the payment of compensation.
Nearly 100 Site 41 opponents packed the public galleries for the debate on the bill, but left for a rally at Ryerson University before the recorded vote was taken. They were given the news by phone.
Although the county has mothballed the dump, opponents fear the property could be sold and the certificate of approval used to open a private dump.
Barrie Liberal MPP Aileen Carroll, minister of culture and the minister responsible for seniors, said in an interview after the vote that the government cannot unilaterally revoke the certificate of approval.
“We don’t have that power. It was issued to the county. The onus is on them to ask that it be revoked. In fact, I have asked the county to make that request. And if they make that request it will be revoked.”