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Traveling to Africa for a three-week stay gave Ally Weegar a whole new perspective on life. “It’s definitely a life-changing experience,” she said. “It makes you value what you have here a lot more than […]

At the June 26th South Dundas council meeting, after months of pushing for a local electronic waste disposal option, councillor Archie Mellan was happy to hear that a solution was finally within reach.

Hugh Garlough, manager of public works, presented council with a proposal from RDLong Computers Limited for the collection of electronic waste. 

The company has offered to provide covered storage containers at each of the landfill sites. In addition, the company will be responsible for collecting the items and for any associated costs.

RDLong Computers Limited was first approached by Pauline Pratt of the House of Lazarus as the company currently collects and processes all the electronic waste brought to the charity’s location in Mountain. 

The charity receives money from the company based on the weight of materials collected. Under RDLong’s proposal to the township, the House of Lazarus will receive the same compensation for anything collected at the South Dundas landfill sites.

“I am sure this would result in a win-win situation for everyone,” said Raymond Long, “area residents would have a more convenient location to bring their unwanted electronics, more of this type of material could be diverted from the landfills, and it would certainly help to increase the revenue that the House of Lazarus receives for their collection efforts.”

Mellan agreed with Long, but went one step further and said, “I think it’s a win-win-win situation.” He believes the deal will benefit South Dundas residents, the township, and the House of Lazarus.

Garlough informed council that  the township has already received permission from the Ministry of Environment to go ahead and collect the electronic waste without need to change the Certificate of Approval. 

Referring to the lengthy wait to get this set up, Garlough said, “what took the most time was to get the go ahead from the Ministry of Environment.”

With the plan in place and things ready to proceed, Mellan expressed concern for the success of the program explaining that in order for it to work, the public must be educated and informed about the availability of the new electronics waste disposal containers.

Mayor Steven Byvelds agreed, “we have to educate the public.”

Landfill staff will be given a list of items to be accepted for the program. While items brought in do not have to work, they do have to be in one piece. Anything smashed won’t be accepted.

“It will work for all of us in the end,” said Byvelds. “It’s a good program. I’m glad it all worked out.”

[…]

News Release – Dec 5, 2011

QUEEN’S PARK – Stormont, Dundas, and South Glengarry MPP, Jim McDonell blasted the McGuinty government for playing politics with the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) by linking its future to an unknown program for Southwestern Ontario.

Jim McDonell expressed shock that the government has introduced a bill it knows will put the EODF in jeopardy.

To extend the EODF, the government’s bill forces MPPs to also vote for a new program in Southwestern Ontario that’s surrounded in serious questions – including how it will be funded and what accountability measures it will have.

“We don’t need this bill for the EODF program. The program exists already and it has the support of Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak and our caucus,” stressed Jim McDonell.  The fund was created to address the unique challenges of Eastern Ontario, challenges that still need to be addressed. 

“However, we won’t support a bill bundling it with a program that has so many unknowns. The McGuinty government is asking for a blank cheque and we all know that would be a costly disaster for taxpayers.”

In fact, Jim McDonell noted that with an estimated $28 million still left in the fund after more than three years, the EODF could be extended through March of 2013 with no new government spending.

Jim McDonell said the government is using the threat of cancelling the EODF as a tactic to force the Legislature into helping Premier McGuinty keep an election promise to establish the Southwestern Ontario fund.

It’s a promise that comes with an $80-million price tag at a time when the province has a deficit of $16 billion.

“Rather than debate the merits of the new Southwestern Ontario program, they’re pitting regions against each other with this bill,” explained Jim McDonell. “It’s unfortunate that, at a time of economic turmoil in this province, the McGuinty government would choose to play political games instead of focusing on job creation.”

Jim McDonell called on Economic Development and Innovation Minister Brad Duguid to do the right thing and separate the two programs and bring together Eastern Ontario MPPs to review the EODF before it expires in March, 2012.

“Let’s stop playing partisan politics and do what Ontarians expect MPPs to do in this minority legislature, which is to work across party lines to fix the serious challenges facing the province today,” urged Jim McDonell.

[…]