MELDRUM BAY—Representatives of the Dawson Township local services board and citizens’ improvement association are still in discussions with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) as they seek to solve an issue that has caused the township waste disposal site to be closed.
“We are attempting to find a way through this,” said Richard Bradley, of the Dawson Citizens Improvement Association (DCIA), this past Monday. “We will find a solution in the next month or so, hopefully. We are still in discussions (with the ministry).”
Mr. Bradley noted Dawson Local Services Board (LSB) and the DCIA are working together on this issue with the MNRF (which owns the Dawson Township landfill property). He explained, “our five year agreement with the MNRF on the dumpsite expired in 2017 and in the new agreement there is wording that we are not in favour of-that Dawson would be fully and perpetually responsible for any environmental issue and we are required to get commercial-general liability insurance for the site.”
“We have been searching, and still are, for an insurance company who will provide this type of insurance,” said Mr. Bradley. “In the meantime, the dump site remains closed, and has been for a month now.”
Karen Passmore, regional outreach specialist with the MNRF, regional operations division, Northeast region, told the Recorder in an email March 6, “the Dawson Waste Disposal site is located on Crown land in the Township of Dawson. As the manager of Crown lands, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry must ensure that this site meets the conditions for Waste Management from the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MOECC). The Dawson Citizens Improvement Association (DCIA) and the Local Services Board (LSB) had a licence agreement with the (MNRF) to maintain this waste disposal site. In general, licence agreements require the waste disposal site meet the conditions set out by MOECC and include components such as insurance. The licence agreement for the Dawson Waste Disposal site expired December 2017 and at this time, a new licence agreement has not yet been secured. Without a licence agreement in place, the site will remain closed.”
Ms. Passmore wrote, “MNRF is aware that the (LSB) is looking into other possibilities to manage waste until a new licence agreement is reached or an alternative is found. The (MNRF) continues to work with the LSB regarding a new licence agreement for the Dawson waste disposal site.”
Mr. Bradley said the community DCIA and the LSB are looking at other alternatives for local residents garbage, such as curbside garbage pick-up, and a transfer station. “No, the dump will definitely not be open this week. We’re still in discussions with the MNRF and insurance companies.”
He explained, “insurance companies are uneasy about ensuring a dumpsite. MNRF is asking for general liability insurance but insurance so far we can’t find an insurance company to provide environmental insurance on a dump site.”
“And some options seem quite expensive,” continued Mr. Bradley. He noted the Dawson LSB budget has been set for 2018.
As for what local residents are doing in the meantime, “people are hanging on to their garbage for now,” added Mr. Bradley.
