MPP wants province to remove site’s certificate of approval

SITE 41: Protesters heading to Queen’s Park
By Douglas Glynn Barrie Examiner
A private member’s bill that could decide the fate of dump Site 41 comes up for 2nd reading in the Ontario Legislature tomorrow.
Introduced last year by Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop, the bill — if it becomes law — would prohibit the disposal of waste at Site 41 and revoke the certificate of approval.
It would also 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.
Simcoe County has mothballed the dump, but has kept the certificate of approval. Opponents fear the county could sell the property to a private operator who could use the certificate to open a dump.
Dunlop also questions why the county has kept the certificate. “If you’re sincere about not having a landfill there why would you hang on to the certificate of approval?” he asks.
Dump opponents have been lobbying MPPs to support the bill and are going by bus to Queen’s Park to hear tomorrow’s debate.
Because it will be the second reading of the Bill, Dunlop says “it will be an opportunity to discuss it for an hour in the Legislature. At the end, there will be a vote. I’m hoping we can get support from all three political parties to send it the committee stage. I feel good about it and am hoping people will support it. We’ll know on Thursday and we’ll take if from there.
“I’ve said often said Site 41 is a mistake,” Dunlop added. “The best thing would be for the Bill to get support and be passed so we can move on.”
His Bill mirrors the legislation used by the Liberal government in 2004 to kill plans to use the Adams Mine outside Kirkland Lake as a landfill for Toronto’s garbage.
However, he faces an uphill battle. It is not common for a private member’s bill to progress through all the stages and become law, as any 20 MPPs may block a bill from proceeding beyond second reading debate.
Second reading debate does, however, allow the opportunity for MPPs to comment upon the principle of the proposed legislation. No motions for amendments are permitted at this stage. The sponsoring member opens and closes the debate. Any MPP who wishes to participate may speak, but only once.