Meeting with the Minister of the Environment

In our April newsletter we reported that emission photos from the Dofasco/ArcelorMittal meltshop published in local newspapers prompted the Ministry of the Environment to provide a long overdue response to our Environmental Bill of Rights application for a review of the operating certificates for that plant.

The Ministry denied our request so we decided to take our concerns to Queen’s Park. In early April, with the help of Hamilton East – Stoney Creek MPP Paul Miller and NDP Environment Critic Peter Tabuns, we held a press conference in the Queen’s Park media room. The purpose of the media event was to underscore our concerns about on-going visible emissions from Hamilton’s industrial core and to pressure the MOE to give some serious attention to the problem.

McAnulty neighbourhood resident Lorna Moreau spoke passionately at the media conference about the impacts that on-going emission problems have had on her quality of life. She described how she and her neighbours are constantly cleaning industrial fallout off of lawn furniture and that they worry about the impacts of industrial emissions on their health and the health of their families. But Lorna also emphasized the fact that the neighbourhood is not fighting to see local industries closed down. They just want their industrial neighbours to be good neighbours.

Following on the heels of the media conference, EH staff and community members were approached by provincial Minister of the Environment John Gerretsen. Minister Gerretsen indicated that he wanted to arrange to talk with us in more detail about our concerns. We followed up on his offer and, on May 6, we were back at Queen’s Park for a face-to-face meeting with the minister.

The meeting provided EH staff members Lynda Lukasik and Brenda Johnson and community members Lorna Moreau and Linda Pickvance with a wonderful opportunity to share concerns directly with the Minister.

Also present at the meeting were Bill Bardswick, the Director of MOE’s West Central Region and Mark Dunn, area supervisor from the Hamilton District Office. We expressed our frustrations and concerns with the Minister, showed him our growing collection of problem emission photographs taken since January of this year, and asked that he ensure his Ministry is taking the necessary actions to ensure Hamilton industries are abiding by the provincial rules and regulations already in place to protect our environment.

Lorna Moreau asked the Minister why local industries had been allowed to get away with emission problems for so long without facing any penalties or charges from the Ministry. We also questioned why MOE has approved new industrial facilities, such as the Liberty Energy sludge/ woodwaste gasification plant, in an already compromised airshed.

The meeting concluded with a promise from Minister Gerretsen that his ministry would take steps to improve the situation. We extended an invitation for Minister Gerretsen to come down to Hamilton some time this summer to experience firsthand what residents like Lorna are struggling with on a daily basis.

Our hope is that this concerted effort will results in positive change. We have already heard that the Hamilton District Office of the MOE is embarking on an enhanced effort to track and address air emission concerns in the northeast end of our city. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed that the situation improves!

[Photo shows Lorna Moreau and her grandson (right) plus EH project manager Brenda Johnson (left) during their April visit to Queen's Park]