Editor: Once again, our community is facing projects that seem to benefit everyone but the people who live here. The proposed Dresden dump and new windmill installations are the latest examples of developments that put the burden on Chatham-Kent while the gains go elsewhere.
We’ve been told these projects bring “opportunity” and “progress,” but we know the pattern: trucks hauling in garbage from other cities, industrial structures altering our rural landscape, and outside investors reaping the rewards. Meanwhile, we’re left with long-term costs — environmental strain, reduced property values, and the slow loss of the small-town character we treasure.
This isn’t the future we want. Yet, too often, our council’s response is little more than quiet acceptance. We need more than statements — we need decisive action. It’s not enough to “hear our concerns” if those concerns aren’t driving real change at the decision-making table.
Our elected officials have an opportunity — and a responsibility — to stand firmly for the best interests of the people who call this place home. That means pushing back against developments that harm our community, protecting our farmland, and ensuring our voices are represented before deals are done.
Chatham-Kent deserves respect. We deserve leadership that will work tirelessly to secure a future that reflects our values, safeguards our land, and strengthens our economy from within — not at our expense.
Enough is enough. Let’s demand the future we deserve — and the action to match it.
Cynthia Côté
Chatham-Kent
