For Immediate Release
April 6, 2006

 

Toronto garbage could be shipped East to Carp Landfill

Sterling warns residents after Minister dodges question about Toronto garbage

Queen’s Park, Toronto – Environment Minister Laurel Broten refused to promise to residents of Ottawa that the Carp Landfill would never be forced to accept Toronto garbage when Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling asked the Minister to make that commitment yesterday during Question Period. 

“I gave her the opportunity to reassure my constituents that they would not be forced to live with Toronto garbage,” said Mr. Sterling.  “I gave her the opportunity to tell us how she plans to deal with Toronto ’s garbage when Michigan stops accepting it.  But she refused to answer those questions so I have to surmise that in this case, like in so many others, this government just doesn’t have a plan to deal with garbage.  And if they can’t come up with a plan before Michigan closes its border to Toronto ’s garbage then I suspect we’ll see those trucks start heading East.”

Mr. Sterling asked the question on behalf of his constituents because, despite assurances from the landfill operators Waste Management, area residents continue to be concerned about the possibility of Toronto garbage being sent to the site. 

Mr. Sterling also pointed out that the McGuinty government is breaking yet another election promise.  In their 2003 election platform the McGuinty Liberals said “We will divert 60% of waste from landfills within five years.”  The Minister confirmed that the province will not reach 60% diversion by 2008 as promised.

“If they had kept that promise,” said Mr. Sterling, “maybe we wouldn’t be facing the proposal for a huge dump expansion in Carp.  But just like their promise to close coal-fired power generators by 2007 – which they have now been forced to move back to 2009 – they made the promise without a workable plan to achieve that goal.” 

After Question Period, Mr. Sterling introduced another petition calling on the McGuinty government to demand a full environmental assessment and study all other alternatives to expanding the Carp Landfill.  Residents of the Ottawa area who want to help send a message to this Minister and the McGuinty Government that an expanded landfill site is not welcome in Carp can sign petitions and send them to Mr. Sterling to be introduced in the Legislature. 

The petition is available on Mr. Sterling’s Web site at www.normsterling.com. 

The Carp Landfill has been in operation for 30 years and was expected to close in 2010.  The operator, Waste Management, has applied to triple the dump capacity and extend its life for 25 years.  It is currently in the public consultation period required before it can file Terms of Reference for an Environmental Assessment. 

The draft Terms of Reference are available at http://ottawalandfill.wm.com/ToR.pdf.  And comments can be sent to Michael Walters, Senior District Manager, Landfills for Eastern Canada, 254 Westbrook Road, Ottawa, ON, K0A 1L0 or by e-mail at mwalters@wm.com and copied to Hayley Berlin, Project Officer, Environmental Assessment Project Co-ordination Section, Environmental Assessment & Approvals Branch, 2 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, ON, M4V 1L5 or by e-mail at Hayley.Berlin@ene.gov.on.ca until May 12, 2006. 

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For more information, please call Lanark-Carleton MPP Norm Sterling at: (613) 253-1171