By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
News that York1 Environmental Waste Ltd. has sold the Dresden-area property at the centre of a controversial fight has strengthened the opposition.
That’s the word from members of Dresden Citizens Against Reckless Environmental Disposal (C.A.R.E.D.) following news that the dormant Dresden dump changed hands earlier this year.
According to government documents, the bulk of the property on Irish School Road a kilometre north of the town, was sold by Mississauga based York1 to Whitestone Fields Ltd. on Feb. 4 for $2,527,965. Incorporated in January of this year, Whitestone Fields is owned by Brian Brunetti, current president and COO of York1, as well as Andrew P. Guizzetti and Daniel G. Guizzetti. The Guizettis are founders of Empire Communities, a large North America home developer.
Premdas said the group isn’t sure what the sale means yet, but said it looks like it’s a shell game, stressing the battle against a plan to turn the dormant landfill into a 24-7 operation continues – no matter who owns it.
“We remain unchanged in our fight against this project,” Premdas told The Chatham Voice. “Our partners remain with us, shoulder to shoulder.”
The property, a former wood disposal site, made headlines in 2024 when it was discovered that York1 had plans to expand the landfill capacity; construct a recycling building and ponding system in order to accommodate the collection of construction waste from the GTA.
The plan, that would see upwards of 6,000 trucks a day coming to the site was vigorously opposed by citizens, leading to the formation of Dresden C.A.R.E.D.
Pressure from the community pushed government to conduct a full Environmental Assessment – a process officials say could take three to 10 that years.
Provincial documents state Whitestone Fields Ltd. was registered as a corporation Jan. 13, 2025. Its head office is located at First Canada Place in Toronto.
The information has the advocacy group doubling down.
“As Dresden C.A.R.E.D., our lawyers are sending updated letters to the Ministry of Environment and the premier,” Premdas said. “Regardless of whose name is on that (property) we’re still opposing the dump and the soil washing.
“You can put lipstick on a pig; it’s still a pig,” Premdas noted. “It’s just the same entity with a new name.”
According to Premdas, the grassroots advocacy group became aware of the sale after it was published in a Windsor business magazine about two weeks ago. Someone alerted Dresden C.A.R.E.D. members. In turn, they passed the information onto the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, which was unaware the property changed hands.
C-K corporate communications manager Eric Labadie confirmed that the Chatham-Kent officials were made aware of the sale through a third-party. It doesn’t change Chatham-Kent’s official opposition to the York1 project.
Because it’s a private sale, Labadie said it didn’t have to be approved by the municipality.
Even though there’s a different owner on paper, the municipality said an Environmental Assessment must still be carried out, as the EA pertains to the property itself.
Representatives from Environmental Defence Canada and the Canadian Environmental Law Association are also on board with Dresden C.A.R.E.D., helping coordinate resistance to dump expansion.
Attempts to reach York1 for comment were unanswered as of press time.
