Complex disposal protocols are costly to follow for construction wastes that often contain toxic materials. It is less expensive to find people willing to allow direct dumping of these wastes on their own land. They do not consider public health and environmental impacts.
An indigenous community in Kanesataki has been trying to solve this problem for years. Some community members have come together to force the government to take action in this regard due to personal risk. Finally the government did that.
Chris Curtis is an investigative journalist and founder of The Rover. He said that for many years the government was apathetic about this and it is a way of forcing the government. But an official there told me that this is happening only after the media came together and put pressure on the government.
Nexus, the company named by reporters reporting on the matter, denied any role to La Presse.
The company said they were only responsible for transporting soil and never dumped soil in the Ottawa River. They have always maintained a buffer strip between the natural environment and the deposit site. It also said that its commitment to protecting the environment remains unchanged.
