Winter 2019 Newsletter Now ONLINE

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May 5 2019

 

Hello OPAL Volunteers,

We have news!

 1. Walker has announced a delay in the production of their materials to submit to the Ministry of the Environment about their dump proposal. That gives us more time to persuade the Minister, Rod Phillips that he should be turning down their dump idea. Walker won’t be ready in June but Phillips could turn them down any time!

 2. Walter Pfefferle has done a wonderful reboot of our OPAL webpage and Facebook presence. Visit www.opalalliance.ca to see for yourself.

 3. Last week, Bonnie Dennison invited us all to wave signs against the dump in Norwich. Twenty-two people showed up. Norwich residents sounded horns in support and stopped to hear about why they too need to oppose the dump. This week, on May 10th, we take the “Stop the Dump” message to the place where Walker wants their trucks to roll into Carmeuse’s quarry and dump 17.4 million tonnes of trash into our water table. Meet the valiant crew who weekly spread the word on Embro Road, just north of Beachville Road at the “Gates of Carmeuse” at 3:00 pm for a half hour. Help protect our water. Let’s see if our numbers can exceed last week’s.

 4. In Woodstock on Saturday May 11th, from 8:00 to 2:00 it’s ReuseapaloozAHAw on the Woodstock Agricultural Fairgrounds, on Nellis Street, one block north of Dundas. As you arrive, you will see that the Farmers’ Market is going full tilt with fresh produce and great food. Our space is the Cattle Barn, brimming with treasures, and all free for the taking. Drop by to drop off or to pick up goods you need. (Please, though, no hazardous wastes like paint, oil, CFL bulbs, etc. ). Looking to volunteer? You have a teen who needs to earn hours? Let us know in advance or when you arrive. Reuseapaloozaha is a great demonstration to Toronto on how to reduce trash. www.reuseapaloozaha.ca for more information.

 

Cheers,

Bryan Smith, president

OPAL Alliance  

 

 

OPINION

Toronto Mayor John Tory thinks it's OK

Ken Westcar March 20 2019

Relative to other municipalities Torontonians pay some of the lowest property taxes in Ontario. A $450,000 home in Oxford County can pay similar property taxes to a $1.5m home in Toronto. Mayor John Tory has committed to keep Toronto property taxes low and increase them only according the rate of inflation. But crumbling Toronto infrastructure presents a huge challenge to the city budget so it's much easier to skimp on services such as garbage disposal to help pay for it. This means not tackling Toronto's garbage problem with a local solution but trucking it out to other municipalities including Beachville in Oxford County because it's "cheaper" to dump it there.

"Cheaper" for whom? There's this obscure thing called "externalities" that politicians and businesses like to ignore, especially when it suits their purpose. The externalities of shipping up to 17.4m tonnes of Toronto garbage to Beachville are increased air and water pollution, greater demand on emergency services and Highway 401 traffic congestion. These costs are borne by all Ontario taxpayers and the environment instead of those who create the garbage in the first place. If you live in Oxford County, you would be more affected than anyone else. If you believe this to be morally and ethically reprehensible think of that 17.4m tonnes sitting on a vulnerable aquifer in Oxford County. There are many reasons to believe this poorly conceived, but highly profitable for Walker Environmental Group, dump poses an extreme environmental risk over the longer term.

But neither Toronto, nor Walker Environmental Group really care about this. They only care about the money they can save or make by externalising costs to someone else. In this case the residents of Oxford County and those living on the Thames River watershed. So, next time you hear about the great job Mayor John Tory and Premier Doug Ford are doing keeping Toronto property taxes low remember that it's at your expense. Tell Toronto and provincial politicians that asking you to pay for Toronto's garbage disposal is unfair, immoral and unethical. Join OPAL in saying "no".

 

 

Oxford Residents Protest Proposed Landfill Woodstock Sentinel Mar 27 2019

Critics Dump On Proposed Landfill Survey London Free Press Jan 2 2019

Proposed Southwestern Landfill Ingersoll Canadian Environmental Law Association

Ingersoll Residents Rally Against Proposed Dump CTV Dec 12 2017

Citizens Vow To Stop Ontario Landfill The Western Producer Dec 1 2016

Keep Your Own Trash Ingersoll Mayor Tells Toronto The Star Mar 2 2016

The Napanee Landfill Disaster  Belleville Intelligencer Jan 6 2016

Ingersoll Residents Don't Want Toronto's Trash CBC Feb 6 2015

Have a question, concern, want to voluteer, drop us a line.
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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.

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