Dump Site 41 film project initiated by Toronto film production company

News release from Todd Harris November 12 2012 

Toronto filmmaker Todd Harris feels that now is an optimal time to remind the public that the environment cannot be taken for granted. Harris has initiated an on-line fund raising campaign to help him produce a 5-10 promotional documentary and 1-2 minute trailer about Dump Site 41 on his website www.site41andbeyond.ca and a crowd funding campaign to fund this work at http://www.indiegogo.com/Site41andBeyond.

The municipality of Simcoe County, an hour  north of Toronto was attempting to complete a plan it had initiated much earlier to build a landfill. The problem essentially was that the build was to be atop the Alliston aquifer, on farmland near the small Ontario town of Elmvale Ontario. A small constituency of the local public had become aware of  Simcoe County’s intent earlier, in fact 25 years earlier, and had been engaged in legal attempts to stop the dump construction during this entire long time span. 

A rapid large growth in public perception of the this issue occurred during 2008 -9.  Media coverage– print, radio, TV and social media- made the larger public, like many Canadians already watching for  threats to water and the environment, express extreme concern about the seriousness of the situation. It became increasingly clear that the Simcoe county council was not going to stop building the dump regardless of the loud  dissent. Residents protested, there were numerous arrests.  Thousands of locals – First Nations, local farmers and interested non-residents joined into the Dump Site 41 protest which became a cause célèbre locally and internationally. The Dump Site 41 battle became endorsed by more than 30 large associations and foundations like the David Suzuki Foundation.  

The Stop Dump Site 41 protest north of Toronto in Tiny Township achieved a 1 year moratorium on August 25, 2009. Simcoe County council  then voted to ‘close’ the landfill on Sept 22, 2009.  Later, in 2009, a rescinding of the Ministry of Environment’s Certificate of Approval for a landfill on this site and  ultimately a rezoning back to agricultural use was attained.  

Under a Freedom of Information [FOI] inquiry obtained it was learned that  Simcoe County spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to stop information about their activities promoting this landfill from becoming public. 

Post Walkerton, many locals who championed the Site 41 cause feel that there are still many unanswered questions about this entire historic battle which would educate future generations about how to protect their environment.

Harris wants to be an “’ambassador’ of the Site 41 story”  a saga he took to heart for several years prior to the historic ‘do not proceed ‘vote in 2009.  He is advertising in local community newspapers for minor support and input from anyone who participated in this amazing part of Ontario’s history. Harris hopes to attract the participation and support of friends of the earth and specifically all those with interests in the film documentation of the battle at Site 41.

For further information:

Todd Harris filmmaker t 416-789-4858 

http://www.indiegogo.com/Site41andBeyond

http://www.site41andbeyond.ca