Ontario municipalities should have final say on their own landfills, says Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman.
At Monday night’s general committee meeting, he’s sponsoring a motion to eliminate the development approval requirement provisions from adjacent municipalities, and that the ‘host’ municipality be empowered to render final approval for landfills within their jurisdiction.
“This motion is making the rounds in the sector because there is an important principle here — that municipalities should be able to make decisions regarding facilities within their own boundaries,” Lehman said. “It's not directly relevant to Barrie; it's about the municipal sector as a whole.”
Ontario Bill 197, the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Act of 2020, considers amendments to the Environmental Assessment Act relating to municipal autonomy and the principle that municipalities can veto a development outside their municipal boundary in an adjacent municipality.
This empowers multiple municipalities to ‘veto’ development of a landfill site within a 3.5-kilometre zone inside the boundary of an adjacent municipality.
Lehman’s motion says this also establishes a dangerous precedent that could be expanded to other types of development.
It goes on to say Bill 197 compromises municipal autonomy and the authority of municipal councils to make informed decisions in the best interest of their communities and municipal taxpayers.
The amendments could also cause conflict in the effective management of landfill sites, put significant pressure on existing landfill capacity and threaten the economic activity associated with these sites.
Sandra Brunet, the city’s manager of business performance and environmental sustainability, noted the city’s Environmental Centre, which includes the landfill, provides diversion as well as disposal opportunities on Ferndale Drive North.
“The re-engineering project, current diversion programs and disposal methodologies has allowed for an estimated closure date of 2031,” she said. “The city hopes to extend that closure date with the new circular economy approach to waste management.
“No sites have currently been investigated for a landfill and future disposal options will be investigated as the time arrives," Brunet added.
A circular economy calls for a change in mindset, where people buy only what’s needed, while repairing and refurbishing to extend a product’s life span. Durable products should be shared with friends and family, and consumable products should be used in their entirety.
If passed, a copy of the motion councillors will consider Monday would be sent to Premier Doug Ford, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks Minister Jeff Yurek, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark, local MPPs, the Association of Ontario Municipalities (AMO) and Ontario’s Big City Mayors. It would also be forwarded to all Ontario municipalities with a request for supporting motions to be passed.
