Dodgy dirt being dumped in Brant county

Truckloads of contruction material from a Toronto site that were dumped on a field in Brant county are going to have to be removed.

Neighbours complain the waste was too close to a small watercourse.
Since last week truckloads of dirt have come from a Toronto construction site, and dumped at a farm at the corner of Pauline Johnson Road and Baptist Church Road.
Whether it’s clean or dirty the Grand River Conservation Authority has determined that at least some of the dirt has to go.

A quality soil investigation report says that the dirt is safe for residential dumping, but concerned local residents weren’t satisfied and started to look for themselves.

They found some debris like glass bottles and even a small engine. As well, one man said the materials smell oily and septic.

Residents then became worried that the dirt could end up contaminating the local well water.

Since then residents have been battling the dumping to the point where they even organized a blockade this past Saturday.
In response to residents’ complaints a Grand River Conservation Authority enforcement officer has found one violation: that the dirt was dumped within 35 meteres of a watercourse and must be removed.

Farm owner Tracy Ferguson said that the concerns are “incredibly inaccurate” and that she plans to take more of the Toronto dirt.

Ontario’s environment ministry says that they have visited the site and found very little debris and that testing will be done to the dirt.
Video: Sean Leathong reports: