THE FIGHT CONTINUES...
OPPOSE YORK REGION'S PLAN TO SEND 1 BILLION LITRES OF SEWAGE DAILY TO PICKERING!!!
Stop the Stink congratulates the new Pickering Council on their Election Victory. We look forward to Council Members opposing out of Region projects that negatively affect our quality of life.
Latest update from Stop the Stink..
Hello Everyone
A few of our members had the opportunity last week to consult with the preeminent environmental Lawyer Mr. David Estrin. His remarks and insight were alarming. We were advised that the City of Pickering still has a strong legal case and we have a reasonable chance and a high probability of success. Our only option in the near future would be a judicial review. Which is another Legal Action against York Region on behalf of the citizens of Pickering. This would be a large expenditure and we are going to review our options and present them to everyone at a later date.
From information printed in the News Advertiser we have learned that the results of the vote in Councils Closed Meeting were that; Jennifer O'Connell, and Bill McLean voted to continue with the legal action against York Region and Mayor Dave Ryan, Doug Dickerson, Rick Johnson and surprisingly Bonnie Littley voted in favour of stopping the legal action and let the City of Pickering staff negotiate a settlement. Mr. David Pickles was absent from this crucial and pivotal vote. No other information from the Closed meeting has been released.
With the municipal election looming only weeks away we have the opportunity to show the Councillors that voted against continuing the legal action, that we need representatives in council that represent their constituents. The facts in the legal action have not changed even with the approval of the environment assessment. We must remember the names of the brave Councillors that understood the issue and unconditional supported the residents of Pickering. We must also do what ever we can to remove the members of Council that neglected, mislead, and abandoned us. Here is a link to help you effectively make a difference.
www.cityofpickering.com/standard/cityhall/election/index.html
We need to make sure we get as many people as possible out to vote in the election October 25th. We need to make our friends and neighbours aware of the circumstances and help them make an educated decision.
We have obtained a copy of the agreement between The Corporation of the City of Pickering vs The Regional Municipality of York. I have attached a copy in two different formats for your convenience.
This settlement is appalling! The only new item that was not already promised to Pickering is an extra sum of money ($375,000) to fund a staff member from the City of Pickering to monitor the construction. The Item which commits the Region of York to a response time of 1 hour to complaints is not new and had been promised to The City of Pickering on numerous occasions. Response could mean someone has been informed that there has been a complaint. Respond does not mean repair or immediately correct the hazard and shutting down the pipe to mitigate problems will not happen. There are no penalties, for non compliance and it appears that York Region will be self regulated, other then the Ministry of Environment doing there yearly checks. There is nothing in this agreement that insures the residents of Pickering and Durham Region will be protected or compensated for any detrimental effects from the SEC pipe and/or also the Duffin Creek WPCP. The Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant has also been added to this agreement, with The City of Pickering waiving all their Legal rights to any further legal action associated in any way with all items and related components. This settlement appears to favour York Region and does not shield us from danger, immediate or cumulative.
Together by using our votes we can make a significant difference! It is time for change at City Hall!
The Smell
Wind studies from the Region claim air flow travels South East over this facility, most of the time. Treated air will be expelled via a large ventilation stack. But what about the days the winds blow south and for residents south of this facility.Will emissions from the stack reach your neighbourhood ?
Why This Affects You
This is not a small project by any means. It will be a permanent fixture and has the potential to grow in size. The technology is new and relatively unproven. No one can guarantee this facility will not emit foul odours. Other Odour Control Facilities constantly break down, smell and get little attention from the Region. Do you want York's sewage in Pickering?
What Engineers Say
Engineers have told our community that this project can be built elsewhere, away from our families. They can build the Odour Control Facility and the metering site at an alternative location and still make it work. But these same engineers haven't listened to the public outcry and offered any alternative sites further into York Region. Can we trust Engineers that want to build an Odour Control Facility on Townline beside our community? Our community wants the best people on this project. We want Engineers that can provide safe, reliable alternatives for our community. If NASA Engineers can put a man on the moon, why can't Municipal Engineers design an Odour Control Facility in York Region? Tell Durham Region Councilors we want these engineers to design an OCF, metering site and fans that will work far in York Region, or to hire engineers that can design one.
The AG Preserve
Infrastructure such as fans and a metering site are proposed to be built on our Environmentally protected AG Preserve. This land is protected by the Government and is for agricultural use only. The McGuinty Goverment fought hard to legislate protection for this land. We need to tell Dalton McGuinty and Environment Minister Gerretsen that their hard work is about to be destroyed. Let your local MPPS Joe Dickson and Wayne Arthurs know too, they speak for us. This Grade A farmland is about to be turned into York's cesspool.
PICKERING: York's Dumping Ground
The Beare Landfill. The Brock Dump. A proposed incinerator to burn York's garbage. Now we have to treat their sewage gas too?. Enough is enough! STAND UP FOR PICKERING AND YOUR FAMILY! It is time that other communities take responsibility for their own waste projects. Why should Pickering continue to be the dumping ground for other Regions? We as Durham citizens are taking all the risk, while York is receiving all the benefit. TAKE ACTION TODAY AND WRITE DURHAM REGIONAL COUNCILORS, THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND YOUR LOCAL MPPs, Wayne Arthurs & Joe Dickson !!!
Media
- Pickering drops lawsuit against York over Big Pipe, looks to settle
- Pickering residents take Big Pipe fight to Queen's Park
- Pickering residents go to Queen's Park
- Big Pipe expansion approved despite Pickering objections
- Pickering council tries to stop the stink
- Pickering council launches legal action against York
- Environmentalists protest York's sewer expansion plan
- Protest against 'Big Pipe' this Saturday
- Local Residents opinion of Edmonton's OCF
- Toronto Star: Pickering residents fume over odour
- Durham News: Stop The Stink Rally
- Durham News:Pickering asks for more consultation on sewage plan
- Durham News:: Cherrywood residents weren't slow off the mark on odour control facility issue
- Durham News:Region takes second look at odour facility
- Durham News:Durham proceeding with Pickering odour facility
- Durham News:More people raise stink
- Globe & Mail: The 'Big Pipe' makes a big stink in Pickering
- Durham News: Pickering group wants sewage facility stopped
Move The Pipe
Engineers argue that the proposed OCF location is the best place for this project, because of the slope of the land. But what about Durham residents only meters away from this facility, metering site and fans? Don't these people matter to you? Is it always about the least expensive route and saving developer's money for this project? They did contribute $400 Million of the $500 Million needed for this project, right? So how can Engineers and Developers put a price on our children and loved ones that are now in the path of risk? WE ASK ENGINEERS TO MOVE THE PIPE AWAY FROM OUR HOMES! There are other alternatives to place the SEC Trunk Sewer pipeline. If you care about the Residents of Pickering, move the Sewer Pipe away from our residential area and find a more suitable place to put York Region's Odour Control Facility. Don't jeopardize established neighbourhoods in Pickering to save money for a specific pipeline route. Find a different route and let the developers pay for it! WE DEMAND THAT IF YOU CAN'T MOVE THE ODOUR CONTROL FACILITY AND OFFENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE FAR INTO YORK REGION, THEN MOVE THE PIPE!!!
What You Need To Do
Most residents agree:
- We were not adequately contacted by the Region about this proposal
- Plans for the Proposed Site were not issued to residents until recently
- Attend our community meetings
- Write Durham Region Councilors, Dalton McGuinty, Environment Minister Gerretsen, Wayne Arthurs and Joe Dickson
David Estrin, Ontario's pre-eminent environmental lawyer, has provided his opinion that York and Durham have violated numerous requirements under the Environmental Assessment Act. You can read his letter here. But the Ministry of Environment still plans to move forward with the approvals process.
If you are a Pickering resident, please download this letter here and email it to minister.moe@ontario.ca, dmguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org and charlene.cressman@ontario.ca
Click here to view the revised EA document
If you are resident of Ontario and are worried that York Region's plan to partially treat and discharge up to 1 BILLION Litres of sewage PER DAY into Lake Ontario and impact our drinking water, please download this letter here and email it to minister.moe@ontario.ca; dmguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org and charlene.cressman@ontario.ca
(full addresses and contact information for the Minister of Environment, Dalton McGuinty and Charlene Cressman) can be found below.
Send your objections via email or mail to the following:
Charlene Cressman
Ministry of the Environment
Environmental Assessment and Approvals Branch
Floor 12A
2 St Clair Avenue West
Toronto ON M4V1L5
Tel: (416) 314-8221
Fax: (416) 314-8452
Charlene.Cressman@ontario.ca
The Honourable Premier Dalton McGuinty
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Rm 281, Main Legislative Building, Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1A4
Tel: (416) 325-1941
Fax: (416) 325-3745
dmcguinty.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
The Honourable John Gerretsen
Minister of the Environment
12th Floor, 135 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1P5
Tel: (416) 314-6790
Fax: (416) 314-7337
jgerretsen.mpp@liberal.ola.org
To email all Durham Regional Councilor's click here
Roger Anderson - Regional Chair
Regional Headquarters
605 Rossland Rd East
P.O. Box 623
Whitby, Ont L1N 6A3
chair@region.durham.on.ca
City of Oshawa Municipal Office
50 Centre St. S.
Oshawa ON. L1H 3Z7
Phone: 905-725-7351
Mayor John Grey
jgray@oshawa.ca
Councilor John Henry
jhenry@oshawa.ca
Councilor April Cullen
acullen@oshawa.ca
Councilor Joe Kolodzie
jkolodzie@oshawa.ca
Councilor Robert Lutczyk
rlutczyk@oshawa.ca
Councilor John Neal
jneal@oshawa.ca
Councilor Brian Nicholson
bnicholson@oshawa.ca
Councilor Nester Pidwerbecki
npidwerbecki@oshawa.ca
Town of Whitby Municipal Office
575 Rossland Rd. E.
Whitby ON. L1N 2M8
Phone: 905-668-5803
Mayor Pat Perkins
council@whitby.ca
Councilor Joe Drumm
council@whitby.ca
Councilor Gerry Emm
council@whitby.ca
Councilor Don Mitchell
council@whitby.ca
Town of Ajax Municipal Office
65 Harwood Ave. S.
Ajax ON. L1S 2H9
Phone: 905-683-4550
Email: info@townofajax.com
Web: www.townofajax.com
Mayor Steve Parish
steve.parish@townofajax.com
Councilor Scott Crawford
scott.crawford@townofajax.com
Councilor Colleen Jordan
colleen.jordan@townofajax.com
Township of Brock Municipal Office
1 Cameron St. E., P.O. Box 10
Cannington ON. L0E 1E0
Phone: 705-432-2355
brock@townshipofbrock.ca
Mayor Larry O'Connor
loconnor@townshipofbrock.ca
Councilor John Grant
jgrant@townshipofbrock.ca
Municipality of Clarington Municipal Office
40 Temperance St.
Bowmanville ON. L1C 3A6
Phone: 905-623-3379
Mayor Jim Abernethy
mayor@clarington.net
Councilor Mary Novak
mnovak@clarington.net
Councilor Charlie Trim
ctrim@clarington.net
Township of Uxbridge Municipal Office
51 Toronto St., S., P.O. Box 190
Uxbridge ON. L9P 1T1
Phone: 905-852-9181
Mayor Bob Shepherd
bshepherd@town.uxbridge.on.ca
Councilor Howie Herrema
hherrema@town.uxbridge.on.ca
Township of Scugog Municipal Office
Box 780, 181 Perry St.
Port Perry ON L9L 1A7
Phone: 905-985-7346 or 905-985-7393
Mayor Marilyn Pearce
http://www.township.scugog.on.ca/mayor.15.php
Councilor Jim McMillen
http://www.township.scugog.on.ca/regional-councillor.71.php
Wayne Arthurs
Pickering-Scarborough East, Liberal MPP
Frost South Building
7 Queen's Park Cresent
Toronto, Ont M7A 1Y7
Tel: (416) 325-3581
Fax: (416) 325-3453
warthurs.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Joe Dickson
Ajax-Pickering, Liberal MPP
Rm 211, Main Legislative Bldg
Toronto ON M7A 1A2
Tel: (416) 325-1182
Fax: (416) 325-1143
jdickson.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Pickering Councilors:
The Corporation of the City of Pickering
One the Esplanade
Pickering, Ont L1V 6K7
Main Switchboard (905) 420-2222
David Pickles
City Councilor, Ward 3
Tel (905)426-5442
Tel (905)420-4605
dpickles@cityofpickering.com
www.davidpickles.com
Rick Johnson
Regional Councilor Ward 3
Tel (905)420-4605
rjohnson@cityofpickering.com
Bonnie Littley
Regional Councilor Ward 1
Tel (905) 420-4605
blittley@cityofpickering.com
Bill Mclean
Regional Councilor Ward 2
(905) 420-4605
bmclean@cityofpickering.com
Dave Ryan
Mayor
mayor@cityofpickering.com
What Can I Do ?
We are looking for people to help us get our message out. If you are interested in volunteering please email us at stopthestink@yahoo.ca. Stop the Stink Signage is available for purchase. Post a sign on your lawn and show your support.
Register to Speak at Pickering Council Meeting
Request for delegation status are to be sent to the Committee Coordinator at lroberts@cityofpickering.com or by fax at 905.420.9685 or by dropping off the request at City Hall.
Big Pipe Alternatives
Download the attachments (doc1, doc2) to understand why York's sewage plan is bad for us all.