For immediate release:
October 25, 2004

Barrett petitions Legislature to “Halt Edwards Lake Landfill”

Queen’s Park – Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett registered the concerns of Haldimand area residents at the Ontario Legislature last week as he twice stood to deliver petitions calling for a “halt” to Edwards landfill excavation.

Early in the week, Barrett tabled petitions that appeared in The Haldimand Press requesting that the legislation the Liberals enacted to stop the Adam’s Mine landfill project be applied to the Cayuga area Edwards landfill project.

“I have just come from a meeting concerned about the expansion of the Edwards landfill,” Barrett said as he introduced the petition. “Whereas the new Adams Mine Lake Act, as of June 17, 2004, amends the Environmental Protection Act to prohibit waste in the lake; and Whereas in the act, `lake' results from human activities, and directly influences or is directly influenced by groundwater; and Whereas Edwards landfill is to be 15 acres excavated 29 feet and a wetland/slough forest; We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows: Halt the Edwards landfill site excavation.”

“These petitions are being published in the Haldimand Press, and I affix my signature to them,” Barrett concluded.

The following day saw Barrett once again rise to petition the legislature, this time to deliver signatures from area farmers on a different petition.

“These petitions come from the Caledonia Fair and are signed primarily by cattlemen in Haldimand County - it's titled, Halt Edwards Lake Landfill (Certificate of Disapproval),” said Barrett. “To the Parliament of Ontario: Whereas the planned Edwards Lake landfill on Brooks Road, Cayuga, two miles (three kilometres) east of the Grand River, is to be 15 acres (six hectares) excavated 29 feet (nine metres) deep in an area of wetland/slough forest; and Whereas the new Adams Mine Lake Act -- as of June 17, 2004 -- redefines the word `lake' and prohibits any excavation into the water table for landfill larger than 2.5 acres (1 hectare); We, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows: To issue a certificate of disapproval to halt Edwards Lake landfill excavation.

“I agree with the cattlemen and I affix my signature to this,” Barrett concluded.

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For more information please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 416-325-8404 or 1-800-903-8629