Have a question,
concern, want to volunteer, drop us a line
Click the Mailbox
below to send us an email.
Send your concerns to
Walker Enviromental
Click the logo below
Since 2012, when the community was first
alerted to the threat of a dump planned by
Walker Industries, to 2022 when legislation
was passed requiring the consent of three
local municipalities, the OPAL Alliance has
been grateful for the massive support of the
community, the particular skills of many
volunteers, and the unwavering determination
to prevent 17.4 million tonnes of trash in
our water, land and air.
Our community solidarity was matched
by support of individuals and organizations
across Ontario who shared their expertise in
stopping previous dump attempts, in
protecting nature and in mobilizing all
demographics. The OPAL Alliance thanks them,
near and far.
OPAL was joined in the battle against
the dump by Transition to Less Waste, Oxford
Green Watch, the Ingersoll District Nature
Club and The Oxford Coalition for Social
Justice. It was a grand Alliance and
mutually supportive.
We won, thanks to your support.
A law in Ontario was changed in
favour of municipalities and through them
communities. Three municipal councils, in
this order, tested the new law – Zorra,
Ingersoll and South-West Oxford – then took
their decision to Oxford County Council and
got unanimous support. A lot of determined
discussion by the mayors of those three
municipalities with provincial officials was
done during Margaret Lupton’s term in Zorra
followed by Marcus Ryan’s, as well as by
SWOX’ David Mayberry, and Ingersoll’s Ted
Comiskey. Supported by council resolutions
to oppose the dump by over 150
municipalities across Ontario, our elected
leaders pressed the case for our right to
decide. The province put that in place when
faced with those numbers.
Six Ministers of the Environment as
well as their colleagues in the Ministry of
Natural Resources, Ministry of Transport,
and Ministry of Municipal Affairs heard from
the public repeated. Over 134 000 letters
were sent. Petitions were read to the
Legislature. On multiple occasions,
delegations from OPAL met elected officials
and/or their staff to make clear the sound
science behind our opposition to the dump.
Not only did OPAL’s extraordinary research
team find information, Wilf Ruland, a
world-renowned hydrogeologist, analysed and
refuted Walker’s claims. Lawyers from the
Canadian Environmental Law Association gave
generously of their time, repeatedly
expanding the ways they would help us.
The OPAL Alliance gives thanks for a long and successful fight to the community.
Thank you to all those that came out and braved the cold.
WE WON NOV
18 2021
Thank you to
all the volunteers and the City of Ingersoll
as well as Bryan and his team.
CALL TO
ORDER
June 1 2021
Hello, all Zorrans
As
you are aware, it’s been 9 long years that
people have opposed the dump that Walker
wants to build in Zorra. From our first
meeting in the Embro Community Centre where
John Vanthof, a farmer from northern Ontario
and leader of the group which successfully
stopped the Adams Mine dump, to the round of
small group meetings in church basements and
halls in 2013 in multiple communities, OPAL
has engaged in fact-based, informative and
respectful dialogue with the community and
municipal leaders. You told us all the
reasons why it must be NO to Walker. Often
that was at ReuseapalooZahas, great waste
prevention and resource recovery events, and
nice social occasion too, in the days when
our health was safe doing these.
We
want to continue that relationship based on
mutual respect for people and the public’s
input. Walker has yet to renounce their
plans to dump 17.5 million tonnes of trash
from outside Oxford into the Thames River
headwaters and the groundwater source of our
drinking water. We know that you can be
persuasive.
What
is attached is a long, long list of reasons,
put together by experts hired by Zorra and
other municipalities, to reject the dump. It
also has direct phone numbers and email
addresses for the Zorra Council members who,
when eventually asked for permission by
Walker to build the dump, need both your
support as constituents and the facts as you
see them to say NO to Walker. As the
attached suggests, you can pick a few that
are dearest and clearest to you.
To
make a call or create an email will take
about 10 minutes of your time. The dump with
be a risk for 100s of years. It’s a good
time investment for you to prevent it.
Please
read the
attachment and have a chat with
decision-makers.
Thank
you.
For more
information, contact OPAL’s
president, Bryan Smith, at
bryasmit@oxford.net.
The OPAL Alliance, while it includes
multiple partners, is not associated with
Max Kirby or The Fixers Group.
BILL 197 UPDATE - Zorra Township
At its January 21st
meeting, Zorra Council adopted a motion
asking the
Minister of
the Environment to re-open Bill 197.
Currently, local
communities have the right,
according to Bill 197, to say “No” to
Walker’s dump
plan. Re-opening the bill puts
us at risk. Click link below to access the
press release.
Environment Minister Jeff Yurek and
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Ernie
Hardeman joined local politicians and
volunteers who have been fighting against a
proposed landfill in downtown Ingersoll to
celebrate Bill 197.
FLAG WAVING
SCHEDULE
Plant a sign against the dump on your
property. We keep getting requests for
these and can provide a standard lawn
sign, signs double the standard and easy
to install on a fence with zip ties, a
four-foot by four-foot sign for a busy
location and even a 12 by 8 foot banner.
Be sure to include your full address as
well as sign size in your email to
bryasmit@oxford.net
Talk to elected officials about what
they are doing or can do to help stop
the dump.
Saturday Feb 29th 1:30 PM Walker Take a Leap Event
Update
April 5 2020
Hello all,
COVID-19 continues to change our daily routines
and I hope you are holding up well through the disruption. No doubt
you have heard of cancellation after cancellation. OPAL has a few
more –
Our AGM has been postponed
until an all-clear from health authorities or we find a
technology to bring us together virtually and virus-free.
ReuseapalooZaha in Embro,
slated for April 25th and even mentioned in the Village Voice
as "tentative" is now cancelled. The community centre there is
closed until further notice. Our partners, the Thamesford Lions,
are almost all in the age group most at risk.
The Tillsonburg Home and
Garden Springfest, which for the past several years has been an
occasion for us to explain the dump fight we are in and to gain
solidarity among fellow Oxfordians and visitors from Norfolk,
has been cancelled by its organizers. Our thanks to Bev and Dave
who organize it. They are sad to miss the event and all the
people who stream through the arenas, but want to ensure they
all stay healthy.
Bonnie has posted on Facebook
that the weekly sign waving events will halt.
On the other hand,
You might be noticing
more anti-dump signs on lawns. Contact-free drop-offs of signs
continue. Let us know at
bryasmit@oxford.net
if your sign has disappeared or faded past reading in the 8
years it may have been on your lawn. We'll get one to you. Make
sure we get a complete street address for you, including fire
numbers if you reside rurally.
Our Alliance partners, the
Oxford Coalition for Social Justice have just sent an innovative
idea to the Minister of the Environment, Mr. Jeff Yurek, that
would divert tonnes of plastics from dumps. That would reduce
the need for dumps dramatically and mean that the current
private and public ones could handle all of Ontario's waste
until better systems are put in place. Cheers to them.
There is a "pause" in the
Environmental Assessment comment period. After intense pressure
from three community groups and three local mayors, Walker
paused the consultation. They have not provided any indication
whether or not, once restarted, it will have the same number of
days. Given Darren Fry's comments in the Sentinel-Review that
the community had more than enough time for comment, this is
something to watch.
Minister Jeff Yurek
remains available by email at
minister.mecp@ontario.ca
if you have comments for him. The number of letters has fallen
dramatically as we have ceased face-to-face meetings and sharing
of pens. Remind Mr. Yurek why you oppose the dump.
Most importantly, stay
Physically isolated as much
as possible
In touch via
telecommunication of any kind so you are not socially cut off.
Healthy.
Sincerely,
Bryan Smith, President OPAL Alliance
Nov 17 2019
Christmas Parades
A HUGE THANKS to all our participants in the
Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and Woodstock Christmas Parades!
In particular THANKS to;
Linda Ulch (of the Oxford Coalition for Social
Justice),
Dr. Tom Mayberry, the walking physician,
Phil Howard, the parade crew organizer,
Bonnie and Neil Dennison for delivering a banner and
cheering loudly in Ingersoll,
Greta Roberts (for photo) and Ken Westcar for
reinforcements in Woodstock,
Peter Croves for challenging Dr. Tom as the tallest
wiseman,
And last, but very much not least, Bryan Smith for
making it all happen.
Nov 9 2019
Environmental Risks Ingersoll Ontario
Great turnout. Thanks to all who attended and
contributed!
Excellent, very informative speakers.
Helpful discussions - both group and individual, with
many new connections made and relationships developed.
Excellent organization, leadership.
Many books purchased and signed by authors, and letters
to Queen's Park signed.
Quality victuals!
A few takeaways:
- as citizens we must advocate for ourselves - the health
of our communities and the value of our properties
- business is business and exists to make a profit and
will seek to do so in any way it can
- government most often tries to provide infrastructure,
balance the books and seek economic growth, and may or may not advocate for
protection of its constituencies'/residents' personal or collective
interests
- advocating for protection of health and property values
is usually very difficult and requires good leadership, communal cohesion
and effort, persistence and patience.
- diminution (the loss of property values due to a
perceived threat or negative, should be one of the main issues addressed in
any Terms of Reference or Environmental Assessment of any proposed project
that will affect the community
- we need
participation from all interests and age demographics in efforts to
protect our communities. Must address the fact that most participants are in
the top third of the age demographic and find ways to attract/encourage the
participation of the the bottom two-thirds, who are affected equally, if not
more.
Bryan
Smith President
Oct 31 2019
Contact The Province
"The Province wants input on how to save taxpayer
dollars and make life easier for you".
"Tell them to stop considering the Beachville
dump application now!"
Copying and pasting the prepared texts into the two matching
boxes on the province's web page. I
f you wish to add your own comments please be
respectful and objective.
Clicking the “Submit” button on the next page once your done.
Taking less than 5 minutes to do this will amplify our
opposition to the Beachville dump and tell the Province how it can save
money and make life easier for people in Oxford County and beyond.
On November 9th, OPAL
invites all dump-fighters to Trinity United
Church in Ingersoll at 1:30 for a brilliant
session with
* Bob Burtt, investigative journalist and author of "No Guardians at the Gate", the story of Elmira, a community which the Ministry of Environment did not protect. Wonder what happened to their water? He will tell!
* Ben Lansink, real estate appraiser and author of the Lansink Report on home and property values in face of high traffic roads, dumps and other perils. Prices are trending which direction? He knows!
* opportunities to buy Bob Burtt's amazing books and have them autographed. You'll want to buy "rare Moments" and hear about his plan for book #3
* opportunities to buy Dr. Poh-Gek Forkert's "Fighting Dirty" so you too can read how communities have come together to defeat dumps
* light refreshments offered by wonderful local bakers
* multiple ways to take action, including signing letters to the Minister of the Environment, Mr. Jeff Yurek, to encourage him to the take the next step and deny Walker the dump; donating to OPAL; getting your name on the OPAL Alliance email list to keep you up-to-date with information on our dump fight
* a chance to meet your neighbours and show solidarity with them against the dump.
We look forward to seeing you on November 9th. Mark it in your calendar now. Entry is free, and if you want to bring friends who also want to fight the dump, we'd love to see all.
I look forward to seeing you there. There are more details on the attached flyer. Have a look. Share it too please.
Climate-change
and human-health related costs
can no
longer be externalised by business and industry if our
quality of life and social equality
are to
be
preserved or
enhanced. Historic solutions to modern problems need to
be questioned and quantified.
An in-depth
understanding
of the issues related to the Walker
Industries’proposed
dumpproject
in Beachville will enable factual dialogue
and a search for better
alternatives.
Thank you to all that that helped as
volunteers, donated and came and took home some fantastic
treasures.
Sept 9 2019
Hello OPAL friends and
dump-fighters!
1. The attached photos show you
some of the people who have been
appearing at our sign-waving
events every Friday. This week,
Friday, Sept. 13th, we will be
at the intersection of
Beachville and Embro Roads,
right on Walker's proposed haul
route. Join in making a
statement: No Dump! Meet at
3:00, select a sign from the
brilliant ones Bonnie has made,
or use your own.
If driving by, sound the horn,
stop to chat, wave. Most of all,
be very careful at this already
very busy intersection. The
truck traffic and ruts in the
road are already a challenge.
If you are looking for a copy
of Dr. Poh-Gek Forkert's
Fighting Dirty, the story of
communities who won against a
dump, there will be some
available for sale.
2. On Saturday, Sept. 14th, at
the Sweaburg Lions' Ball Park
Pavilion, it's Reuseapaloozaha,
starting at 8:00 am and running
until close to 2:00 pm. Don't
miss out on the fun. It would be
great for you to come volunteer.
It would be wonderful for you
bring some things you wish to
see reused. It would be fabulous
for you to find treasures.
Directions are attached too.
If
you have a teen in tow, we can
sign off for the mandatory high
school volunteer hours too. As
usual, all who come get a
treasure too.
Reuseapaloozaha will also have
lots of letters for you to sign
against the dump. Take action
twice, by participating in the
event and by telling Minister
Yurek to say no to the dump.
Cheers,
Bryan Smith, President OPAL
Alliance
Aug 26 2019
Dear friends,
OPAL continues to remind the government
of its commitment to stop the dump made
in the 2014 election. Here are a few
ways that you can help:
* Join us for a sign-waving. This Friday
Aug 30th, we are in Thamesford on Dundas
Street near Tim Hortons.. Bonnie will bring lots of
signs. You can borrow one.
* Drive by the sign-waving, sounding
your horn or waving at us in a friendly
manner. It helps other people get the
message too.
* Stop by the Farmers' Market where we
will have letters to the Minister of the
Environment for you to sign. They remind
him that "we ain't going away", as one
loyal dump-fighter said seven years ago
when the fight began. (By the way, he
still opposes the dump actively). Pick
up a copy of "Fighting Dirty" there too.
We are selling them to support our
fight.
* Ask family or friends in London to
tell their City councillors and their
MPP that they are worried about leachate
from Walker's dump coming downstream to
them. London needs to advocate on behalf
of its citizens in this battle, too.
Recently, Walker announced an
indefinite delay on their submission of
documents to the Minister for approval.
Since five scientists have told us (and
the Minister) that there is no safe way
to build a dump, we think that's the
reason: Walker is stumped. Additionally,
Minister Yurek lives in the riding that
contains the Green Lane dump in
Southwold township. He knows it stinks
and has said so in public. We'd like him
to say that about Walker's plan too.
We're encouraging him to do that, and
with your help, it should happen soon.
We continue to seek funds for our water
expert, Wilf Ruland, to help us deny
Walker's claims that drinking water can
be safe in the presence of a dump. We
know that all liners leak, and "Fighting
Dirty" shows us the disastrous
consequences when they do. If you wish
to donate but don't frequent the
markets, drop us a cheque made out to
OPAL at the address below.
OPAL Alliance, c/o S. Fleming, 205
George Street, Ingersoll, Ontario, N5C
1Z5
Thank you for all your support.
Sincerely, Bryan Smith,
President, OPAL Alliance
Setting up for Flag Waving Beachville
Ontario. Thank you to all those that came out or honked their
horn. THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER
Thanks to Bryan
AUGUST Ministry Letters now
available for download from
our web page.
It
is summer and a great time to be
outdoors. Breathing fresh air and
enjoying the sunshine are precious
to us, after a long wait through
ice-storms in winter and rains
falling in spring. Naturally, we
don’t want our opportunity to be in
the garden or a nearby park to be
spoiled by the stench of Walker’s
rotting garbage. So, around the BBQ,
there is still time in conversation
to remind ourselves and each other
of the need to fight Walker’s plan
for a dump alongside the Thames
River.
One
way to remember our resolve to
stop the the dump
is to have a look at
www.opalalliance.ca where our
newest newsletter appears. Click the
link and have a look. It’s on
Facebook and at local vendors too!
If
you are wanting to take action to
help stop the dump, you can! Here
are a few simple ways.
1.
Visit the market on Saturday
morning, in Ingersoll or Woodstock,
to sign some letters
to the Minister of the Environment.
Despite the change of name in the
job, all letters count and you can
continue to send them in. Mr. Yurek
inherits the duty from Rod Phillips
to consider our community’s
opposition to the dump. Remind him
of that.
2.
Send off a quick email
to Mr. Yurek at
minister.mecp@ontario.ca telling
him what you value in the community,
like summer days with friends or the
splendid Canterbury Folk Festival,
and naturally opposing the dump that
would prevent our community’s
enjoyment of summer events.
3.
Join us for the last
sign-waving of the month of
June at King and Whiting, near the
Independent, this Friday at 3:00.
Bring a sign or borrow one to wave;
stroll by and say “Hi” or cruise by
in the car and wave through the
window. That will help all others,
neighbours or visitors, understand
how much you oppose the dump. If you
need to find the schedule for summer
and early fall sign-waving events,
go to the OPAL Facebook page or
www.opalalliance.ca
Thank
you. Enjoy summer.
Bryan
Smith, president
OPAL
Alliance
PS:
If you are looking to donate to help
stop the dump, donation boxes are at
both markets weekly, or you can drop
a cheque in the mail to OPAL, c/o S.
Fleming, 205 George Street,
Ingersoll, N5C 1Z5.
ReuseapalooZaha in Embro
It was a windy start to the day, April
27, but did not deter the bargain hunters at
ReuseapalooZaha in the Zorra-Embro Community Centre. For the
opening time at 8:00 to close down at 2:00 people came to
share and to hunt bargains. There was furniture: a pair of
chairs lifted from a helper’s hands as he carried them in.
There were dishes: a full set of mugs were put to immediate
service by 4H for warming cuts of coffee (after a careful
washing, of course). The cat cage came and went; the pet
dish disappeared. BBQs, ovens, toasters and other metal was
hauled off to help the Lions in Thameford. Three people
split the piles of tiles. And clothing! What an attractive
display of clothing hung on the racks.
The OPAL Alliance was out in force: The
OPAL board, members and volunteers appeared; Transition to
Less Waste was first off the mark in the morning, and came
to help pack down; the Ingersoll District Nature Club put on
a great show of solidarity; Oxford Green Watch came and went
as needed. The Oxford Coalition for Social Justice enlisted
its members too. Earning hours for volunteering, five
students helped, hauled and hefted start to finish. All
understood that reusing is a great alternative to trash
going to dumps!
Bryan
Produced by Ken Westcar Best Viewed on You Tube
CLICK HERE
What's wrong with a
Mega-Landfill in Oxford?
Our Health & Environment
The proposed landfill site threatens not only the health of the
inhabitants in the three nearby communities of Ingersoll,
Centreville and Beachville, but also environmentally significant
areas such as the Centreville Conservation Area. The landfill
would create millions of litres of toxic leachate and would be
situated in fractured limestone near the aquifer. The risks to
our drinking water and health are too great should something go
wrong.
Economic Devastation A
significant drop in the property values of nearby residents is
expected. Lost revenue from a decrease of visitors to shopping,
festivals and events is also predicted by area business owners.
To add to this injury, the economic cost to repair roads roads,
etc, due to traffic coming and going to a landfill of this size
is still unknown, but would be shouldered by area taxpayers.
Legacy costs if it leaks would be immense. Quality of Life
The impact on our quality of life with the introduction of foul
smelling air, particulate, and gasses, as well as an unsightly
mountain of trash will be devastating. Instead of being a
"Community in Bloom", our area would be an unwilling host to a
rumbling motorcade of 340+ garbage trucks per day. Our
reputation as a green, natural place to live would be forever be
ruined if Oxford County, "The Dairy Capital" became "The Dump
Capital".
Is this a done deal? How can we stop it?
Not even close to a done deal
We've heard from some members of the public who think this
landfill proposal is already done and there is nothing that can
be done. Nothing is further from the truth! Walker industries
has a long way to go before getting approval to dump 850,000
tonnes of trash a year in Oxford County. Our research has shown
us that in every case where a proposed dump has been turned down
it has been in large measure due to the activism of the local
residents. We still can stop this!
Where this proposal is right
now
Right now Walker Industries, the company proposing to build the
landfill within Carmeuse Lime's quarry site, is working through
an official Ministry of Environment process. Currently, Walker
is producing work plans for what they call their "preferred
alternatives". The public has repeatedly rejected these. OPAL is
fully engaged in this process with the support of, CELA (The
Canadian Environmental Law Association) and Intends to refute
Walker's submission to the MOECC (Ministry of Environment and
Climate Change), so that the Minister will refuse their dump
proposal.
OPAL Alliance
acts to protect our community and to ensure that Oxford County remains a
great place to live and grow. As concerned citizens, we are engaged in
the fight to stop locally unwarranted land uses. Our mission is to stop
the dump Walker Industries would impose.
