Ontario Hansard - 26-September2006

LANDFILL

Ms. Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Victoria-Brock): My question is to the Minister of the Environment. The city of Toronto's purchase of the Green Lane landfill just outside of London has taken on a life of its own. What is even more shocking is the lack of representation in the area where Green Lane is situated. The member for Elgin-Middlesex-London, in whose riding Green Lane is located, has known about this expansion since it was announced. He was copied on your June 28, 2006, approval letter, about which you stated, "The expansion of Green Lane is good news for municipalities across Ontario who are seeking disposal capacity within the province rather than sending it to Michigan." Yet other local and municipal elected officials, including those in your own caucus, had no idea.

Minister, why were neighbouring municipalities and your local members not consulted about receiving Toronto's garbage?

Hon. Laurel C. Broten (Minister of the Environment): What a fantasyland the folks on the other side of the Legislature must live in: eight years of inaction; a current member and the leader of that party has indicated himself that he would not alter this transaction one single way. Your leader on the other side of the Legislature can sit and criticize, but he brings no solutions to the table.

On this side of the House, we're rolling up our sleeves, and we are ensuring in each and every case that matters are dealt with by the Ministry of the Environment and that communities are consulted. The terms of reference of this environmental assessment were approved by the former government, and that environmental assessment transpired over three years -- a full year of analysis, consultation and scientific review by the Ministry of the Environment to absolutely ensure that this landfill would operate, as it always had, in an environmentally responsible manner.

Ms. Scott: Minister, the question was about being consulted about receiving Toronto's garbage. So it has become abundantly clear that the people of the London area have lost the representation of their MPPs, and that is a shame. The hard-working citizens of London and surrounding communities are now getting a real sense of McGuinty Liberals. Dalton McGuinty Liberals have shown us that Toronto votes trump London votes and he will say anything and reach any lows in order to get re-elected.

Yesterday, the member for London-Fanshawe said, "I will do whatever is possible to block this," followed by, "I do not know what MPPs can do to block it."

If members of your own caucus feel so helpless, how concerned should the regular, hard-working people of London and other areas such as Ottawa near the Carp landfill site be that they are going to bear the brunt of your broken promise of 60% waste diversion and your lack of any real plan for Ontario's garbage crisis, including energy from waste?

Hon. Ms. Broten: It's always interesting to hear from those on the other side of House whose raison d'être was creating a crisis. We're very confused by the perspective that the members opposite bring forward. Would their leader cancel the landfill? I've not heard that be said. Would their leader intervene in a private contractual relationship between the city of Toronto, who has stepped forwards to manage their waste, and a private entrepreneur who has supported his party in the past? I don't think so.

This is a process whereby the Ministry of the Environment has the responsibility to impose conditions to ensure that a landfill operates in a safe and environmentally sound fashion. Those conditions have been imposed. They will continue no matter who is the owner or operator of this site. The members of their communities in London are advocating on behalf of their constituents, as they should be doing. They are bringing those concerns forward. I will be meeting with the municipal representatives later today -