Yesterday evening, the Council of the Township of McNab/Braeside unanimously approved my recommendations with regard to the proposed pyrolysis plant project championed by Mayor Peckett and Sustane Technologies (the proponent). These recommendations included (1) suspending any further action on the project until Council can fully consider the proposed project, (2) requesting that the proponent hold a public information meeting where residents can ask questions about the technology and its risks, and (3) directing Township staff to investigate, evaluate and bring professional recommendations to Council on the proposed project, its potential opportunities and its potential serious environmental, social, financial, legal and other risks to our community. The full text of the recommendations can be viewed using the link below.
For those who have suggested that the project should be killed outright, I want you to know that I appreciate the perspectives that you have graciously shared with me over the last few weeks. While I do not personally support the proposed project given my research and what I have heard from McNab/Braeside Alliance for a Clean Environment at its public information sessions, Council as a whole must make its decisions in good faith and on the basis of evidence brought forward in public meetings by Members of Council, Township staff and community members. Setting politics aside, I see Council’s decision last night as the right policy decision for the Township as it will ensure that Council and the public gets the information that it needs to make a final decision. While these recommendations were specifically aimed to address the proposed project, this will also serve as a starting point for a broader conversation about what sustainable waste management practices we can explore to divert waste from the landfill while maintaining high environmental and health standards for our community. Over the coming weeks, I encourage all residents to reach out to their municipal and school board election candidates to share their thoughts.
Link: Report to Council – Proposed Pyrolysis Plant Project in McNab/Braeside
Oliver Jacob for McNab/Braeside 