Today's Blog post somewhat includes yesterday's titled "The Disgrace of Contaminated Sites Cleanup in Ontario" as well as last Friday's titled "The Cleanup is a Sham...Put a Banner On The Roof..." Basically I've been noticing for some time now that the "generosity" of developers seems to be related to market conditions for their residential properties they are selling.
I will give you three examples namely Hawkridge Homes located across from Elmira's mini Chemical Valley, the Shanley St. apartment building mentioned yesterday on top of the former highly contaminated Electrohome property and finally the former Sunar property in Waterloo which ended up as a seniors residence. Now at the time I felt that perhaps that might be O.K. as likely most residents there were for the short term not the long term.
All in all I wonder how much scrutiny those various "cleanups" would withstand if done by an experienced, unbiased person plus I would like to know how many more residential buildings for all ages are former contaminated sites playing the "Let's make a deal" game between developers and municipal authorities. Allegedly these deals are a "win-win" but frankly knowing some of the players involved such as the Ontario MECP as well as municipal politicians, I am skeptical. I wonder how many of their children or grandchildren are being raised in those former (and current?) contaminated sites.
If I am correct then do not despair as even further externalization of costs from entrepreneurs (developers) to the public purse will occur as the health costs escalate for those exposed who are more susceptible (children). What a "money talks" society we live in including throwing future generations into less than ideal living conditions. Oh and one more example would be the IMICO site over in Guelph as it is being poorly remediated and turned into housing as well albeit with certain conditions and constraints involved on the incoming tenants.
Greenwashing at its finest! Problems and solutions all captured by the professional bureaucrats
ReplyDeleteto fund their existence at taxpayers expense!