You may have heard about ED-19, a proposed waste management site in Edwardsburg-Cardinal Township.  This subject has been the focus of the last few meetings of Counties Council and Committee of the Whole and will likely continue for the immediate future.  I thought you might want to have a briefing on the issue and have copied the following information from the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville website.  I also included the link at the end of the text.

There is a reference in the background information that states “As noted above, the negotiations with Tomlinson are ongoing. Such discussions and negotiations are confidential and meet the requirements of the Municipal Act accordingly.”  At this time (March 10, 2017) there are no negotiations with Tomlinson or any other company.  Two notices of motion – one from Mayor Baptista, Leeds and Thousand Islands and the other from Mayor Sayeau, Edwardsburg-Cardinal – were served on Tuesday at the Counties Committee of the Whole meeting and are on the agenda for Counties Council meeting being held on Thursday, March 23, 2017.  Both offer recommendations that require the MOECC to confirm, in writing,  the validity of the Provisional Certificate of Approval before any further discussion occurs by the Counties.

Please call if you have any questions.  273-9195

Background Information

In the early 1990s, the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, along with the City of Brockville and the Town of Prescott, undertook a lengthy waste management master plan process. This process was encouraged by the province, which provided funding in order to undertake the needed studies, engage consultants, and consult with the public. This process was a provincial priority due to the general lack of long term waste management planning and pending closures of landfills across the province as well as the fact that many of the existing landfills had been sited out of convenience and started many years before without regard to potential impacts on the environment. The Province’s preference was for regional sites that would be appropriately sited, meet modern design and construction standards, be financially feasible, and protect the environment.

By the late 1990s, the municipalities had completed the Master Plan and a full Environmental Assessment. Based on these, the preferred site was selected, referred to as “ED-19”. This site is located in the Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal, at the west- end of Byers Road. Two of the main reasons the ED-19 site was identified as the preferred site were that there is very limited development in the area of the site and the subsurface conditions provide a high degree of natural protection for groundwater. The site selection process included a considerable amount of public consultation including open houses, public meetings, workshops, newsletters to all households, deputations with the Steering Committee, agency consultation, and meeting with the Edwardsburgh Council. A Public Liaison Committee was actively involved in working with the Steering Committee and public.

The future waste disposal site is approximately 165 acres, with only 35 acres to be used for the landfill footprint. The Counties purchased 478 acres, including some of the subject lands, and lands directly adjacent to the proposed site, while another 100 acres of lands remain in private ownership. The approved permitted capacity of the site is 1.56 million cubic metres which includes the volume for waste plus daily and intermediate cover material. This would equate to a minimum of 25 years of site life based on a permitted annual tonnage of 50,000 tonnes of waste disposed per year. This would equate to approximately 20 to 25 vehicles per day consisting of 7 tandem waste packer trucks, 3 transport truckloads of waste and 10 to 15 cars and pickups daily (based on 6-day/week operation).

In 2010 the Counties invited proposals and expressions of interest from private waste firms to provide long term waste management services for Leeds and Grenville. At that time, several companies responded. As a result of this work, the Counties did negotiate a contract for local municipalities to ship their waste to Lafleche Environmental in Moose Creek, Ontario at a preferred tipping fee. Each municipality had the autonomy to decide whether to participate or not in this contract. One of the other interests received at that time was from R.W. Tomlinson Limited, another eastern Ontario waste management firm. Their interest was in the purchase and development of ED-19.

Since then, the Counties has been discussing and negotiating with Tomlinson. In 2015 Counties Council directed staff to proceed with further negotiations for the potential sale of the ED-19 site to Tomlinson. Counties Council’s reasons to consider selling the property are:

• –  the Counties purchased the lands for the purpose of a waste disposal site;
• –  the site has an Environmental Assessment approval and Provisional Certificate ofApproval both of which remain valid;
• –  the Counties is neither in a financial position to invest the capital outlay nor hasthe capacity to operate a waste disposal site;
• –  the site is relatively small, compared to other current commercial wastemanagement facilities; and,
• –  the private sector has the capital, expertise and knowledge to develop andoperate a site within the current legislative framework (environmental laws)

  Over the past year, staff has met numerous times with representatives of Tomlinson and have slowly been negotiating a potential sale, though nothing has been finalized.

  Once again, it is important to note that the subject lands have been approved for a waste disposal site since 1998. This includes the proper Official Plan designation and zoning. Furthermore, the Counties participated in a meeting with representatives from the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change to discuss the status of the Provisional Certificate of Approval. The Ministry did provide its comments that includes that the Certificate is still valid.

  As noted above, the negotiations with Tomlinson are ongoing. Such discussions and negotiations are confidential and meet the requirements of the Municipal Act accordingly.

In November 2016 Counties Council asked the Counties’ Chief Administrative Officer to update Edwardsburgh Cardinal Township Council on the sale. This occurred at a meeting held November 29, 2016. Due to the purpose of the meeting (to discuss the negotiations and sale of lands), the meeting was closed to the public. No decisions were required or made by the Township Council, rather members of Council were able to provide their comments, and ask questions of the Counties’ Chief Administrative Officer.

Should the Counties conclude the sale of ED-19, the purchaser would be subject to all the conditions of the Provisional Certificate of Approval, as well as any updated environmental requirements. The preparatory work prior to any construction will take time. Likewise, the site construction/development will take time. In the end, it is expected to likely take three years before the site would be open for business, at the earliest.

As part of waste disposal site operations, a Public Liaison Committee will be formed to provide residents the opportunity to review the site operations; review the site performance and recommend appropriate improvements.

Qs and As
1. What is the role of the Counties in regards to ED-19?

The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville owns both lands and the Provisional Certificate of Approval for ED-19. The Counties is entirely responsible for any outcome as it relates to ED-19 and has the right to transfer the lands to a private company.