York1 held its second information meeting at the Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre in Dresden on Friday night.
Ward 4 Councillor Jamie McGrail attended, calling it "a night of tough questions that weren't answered."
She said the waste solutions company changed the format from a question-and-answer type event to an open house-style meeting. McGrail said that one of the eight tables set up was especially well attended by people asking questions of York1. "Any answers were sketchy at best," she said.
McGrail added that there was a protest outside the Agricultural Centre during the meeting. "I was inside mostly, but there was a good presence outside," she said. "They definitely showed where they stand."
She said she wants to make very clear to Dresden and Chatham-Kent residents that "council, councillors, and the municipality received [York1's] plans through the province." She also noted that she still hasn't received any plans directly from the company.
"We had no clear idea what they proposed for that land," McGrail stated. "Once we figured out exactly what they wanted to do, we said no," she added.
McGrail said she believes Mayor Darrin Canniff's open letter to the province about the landfill plans was appropriate. "I think it does make a bold statement and that's how we need to start and to move forward," she said, adding that council will discuss the matter again at their next meeting.
York1 has submitted two proposals to the province.
The first concerns increasing the size and amount of waste the potential facility can hold. That proposal is open to the public for comment until March 16.
The second is regarding the types of waste that would be allowed on the land. Chatham-Kent was informed of this application on February 26, 2024. The public can comment on it until April 11.
McGrail explained that the public making their opinions and comments known is "very, very important."