Twin Creeks Environmental Centre Landfill Optimization Project

WM Canada (WM) has completed the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Twin Creeks Environmental Centre (TCEC) Landfill Optimization Project. The TCEC is located at 5768 Nauvoo Road in the Township of Warwick near the Village of Watford, at the corner of Nauvoo Road and Zion Line, within the County of Lambton.

There are approximately 5 years of approved landfill airspace capacity remaining at the TCEC (i.e., capacity will be reached in approximately 2031). The proposed optimization would provide additional airspace of approximately 14.3 million cubic metres (m³), which could extend the landfill site life by approximately 12 years (from 2031 to 2043), and may be achieved through a vertical expansion within the existing Expansion Landfill footprint at the TCEC. No changes are proposed to the size of the TCEC site area, approved service area, or annual fill rate.

The TCEC landfill provides safe and convenient disposal services for communities, businesses and industries serving the Province of Ontario. There is a need for the continued development of the TCEC as it is a significant component of the provincial waste management network and infrastructure, which is lacking in sufficient and secure long-term disposal capacity. Optimizing the development of the TCEC would maximize the use of the existing site infrastructure and allow for on-going sustainable business operations and continued provision of essential financial support for community services and programs. The landfill optimization would also provide longer-term certainty of service continuity to WM’s customers beyond the remaining approximate 5 years of capacity.

As required under section 17.7(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act and according to the Terms of Reference approved by the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks on December 13, 2022, WM has submitted its EA to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks for review and a decision. The Notice of Submission for the EA is provided below:

Notice of Submission of Environmental Assessment Study Report, June 26, 2026

As required under the Environmental Assessment Act, the EA Study Report and Supporting Documents have been made available for public review and comment (see below under “Final EA Study Report Review”).

The first step in the EA process was the preparation of a Terms of Reference, which set out the framework and work plan for addressing the Environmental Assessment Act requirements when preparing the EA. Details of the Terms of Reference preparation are provided below.

The Amended Terms of Reference (March 30, 2022) was approved by the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks on December 13, 2022. WM has proceeded with the second step of the process, the preparation of the EA. The EA was carried out according to the approved Terms of Reference and the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act.

WM made draft EA documentation available at several points during the EA process for review by the public, Indigenous communities, and other interested persons, including a Draft EA Study Report, and hosted four rounds of Public Information Sessions to present information and obtain feedback (see below).

The EA was submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) for review on June 26, 2026. As required under the Environmental Assessment Act, the EA Study Report will be available for public review and comment from June 26, 2026 to August 14, 2026. Comments must be submitted to the MECP and will be forwarded to WM for consideration.

Following the public comment period, the MECP will conduct their review of the EA and issue their formal review document in September 2026. The Minister’s decision on the EA is anticipated in February 2027.

The draft Environmental Assessment Study Report and Supporting Documents were previously available for review. The comment period closed on January 30, 2026.

The draft Effects Assessment Reports were previously available for review. The comment period closed on January 31, 2025.

The draft Existing Conditions Reports were previously available for review. The comment period closed on February 2, 2024.

The draft Screening of Alternative Methods, confirming the preference for a Vertical Alternative Method, was previously available for review. The comment period closed on February 2, 2024.

A Notice of Commencement of Environmental Assessment (EA) was published on April 5, 2023 and is available at the link below. The Notice advised that WM is beginning an EA under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act seeking approval to develop additional landfill disposal capacity as part of the optimization of the design and operation of the landfill at the Twin Creeks Environmental Centre (TCEC), located in the Township of Warwick, Ontario.

Notice of Commencement of Environmental Assessment (April 5, 2023)

Members of the public, agencies, Indigenous communities and other interested persons are encouraged to actively participate in the EA planning process by participating in consultation opportunities or contacting staff directly with comments or questions. Consultation and engagement opportunities are being planned throughout the EA process and will be advertised in local newspapers, here on the project website, and by direct and/or electronic mail (email).

To learn more about the project, consultation and engagement events, and/or to communicate questions, comments, or to be added to the project mailing list, please contact the following project team members:

Wayne Jenken
Area Landfill Manager, Eastern Canada Area
WM Canada
5768 Nauvoo Road, Watford, ON N0M 2S0
Phone: 519-849-5810
E-mail: [email protected]

Larry Fedec, P.Eng. M.B.A.
Senior Environmental Engineer
HDR Corporation
100 York Blvd., Suite 300, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1J8
Phone: 416-571-2130
E-mail: [email protected]

WM held Public Information Session 1 for the EA on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 to introduce the landfill optimization project and provide an overview of the EA process, and present the anticipated project milestones and consultation and engagement opportunities. Members of the public, agencies, Indigenous communities and other interested persons were encouraged to provide comments on the information presented at Public Information Session 1 by May 3, 2023. A copy of the Public Information Session 1 Summary Report, which includes the presented display materials, is available at the following link:

Public Information Session 1 Summary Report (July 7, 2023)

WM held Public Information Session 2 for the EA on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 and Tuesday, December 5, 2023 to provide an update on the Environmental Assessment (EA), present a screening of vertical and horizontal alternative methods, provide a summary of existing conditions, present next steps in the EA process, and obtain public input. Members of the public, agencies, Indigenous communities and other interested persons were encouraged to attend and provide comments on the information presented at Public Information Session 2 by December 22, 2023. A copy of the Public Information Session 2 Summary Report, which includes the presented display materials, is available at the following link:

Public Information Session 2 Summary Report (January 19, 2024)

WM held Public Information Session 3 for the EA on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, to provide an update on the Environmental Assessment (EA), present the three Alternative Methods being assessed in the EA, the preliminary results of the effects assessment, and the preliminary results of the comparative evaluation to select a Preferred Alternative, present next steps in the EA process, and obtain public input. Members of the public, agencies, Indigenous communities and other interested persons were encouraged to attend and provide comments on the information presented at Public Information Session 3 by December 13, 2024. A copy of the Public Information Session 3 Summary Report, which includes the presented display materials, is available at the following link:

Public Information Session 3 Summary Report (January 17, 2025)

WM held Public Information Session 4 for the EA on Wednesday, November 19, 2025 to provide an update on the EA, and present: the Preferred Alternative for the vertical expansion, the effects assessment of the Preferred Alternative, an overview of the Draft EA Study Report, and next steps in the EA process, and to obtain public input. Members of the public, agencies, Indigenous communities and other interested persons were encouraged to provide comments on the information presented at Public Information Session 4 by December 5, 2025. A copy of the Public Information Session 4 Summary Report, which includes the presented display materials, is available at the following link:

Public Information Session 4 Summary Report (January 21, 2026)

The Terms of Reference provides the framework and requirements for the preparation of the EA for the proposed undertaking. Following review of the Terms of Reference by members of the public, agencies, Indigenous communities, and other interested persons, the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks approved the Terms of Reference (Amended, March 30, 2022) on December 13, 2022. A copy of the approved Terms of Reference (Amended, March 30, 2022), a summary of the amendments to the proposed Terms of Reference (January 7, 2022) and the Notice of Approval are available at the following links:

Terms of Reference Twin Creeks Environmental Centre Landfill Optimization Project Environmental Assessment (Amended, March 30, 2022)

Summary of Amendments to Proposed Terms of Reference (January 7, 2022)

Terms of Reference – Notice of Approval, December 13, 2022

As part of the EA process, a proposed Terms of Reference (ToR) was submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) for review as required under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (EAA). The ToR was available for public review from January 7, 2022 through February 6, 2022, on the Project website and at the Township of Warwick Municipal Office and the Watford Library. Members of the public, agencies, Indigenous communities, and other interested persons were encouraged to actively participate in reviewing and providing comments on the ToR. Written comments on the ToR were to be submitted to the MECP Project Officer by February 6, 2022.

The Draft Terms of Reference (ToR) was available for public review and comment from June 15 through July 13, 2021. Members of the public, agencies, Indigenous communities and other interested persons were encouraged to actively participate in reviewing and providing comments on the Draft ToR. It was requested that any questions or comments be provided to the study team by July 13, 2021. All comments received as part of this review were considered in the preparation of the proposed ToR submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks for approval on January 7, 2022 (above).