Written By David Gomez, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SOUTWEST MIDDLESEX - Council has approved a new long-term cost-sharing agreement for the closed Limerick landfill, formalizing how monitoring and environmental compliance responsibilities will be managed among partner municipalities in the years ahead.
The discussion took place during the December 3 council meeting, where Mayor Allan Mayhew introduced the item as the “finalization of Limerick landfill operation and the monitoring cost and share the agreement primarily with Newbury and Chatham Kent.”
CAO Amanda Gubbels told council that staff from all three municipalities had spent the past year working to update the original 1992 agreement to reflect current obligations for the closed site. “Throughout 2025, Southwest Middlesex has been working with Chatham Kent and Newbury to finalize a formal cost sharing agreement for the closed Limerick landfill, covering long term monitoring, sampling, reporting and ECA compliance in perpetuity,” she said. The new agreement, she added, “confirms the same proportional cost sharing based on that historical closure split where Southwest Middlesex pays 46% of cost, Chatham Kent 43% and Newbury 11%.”
Gubbels noted that the agreement also establishes a formal staff committee chaired by Southwest Middlesex to meet regularly and review monitoring requirements and budget needs. She highlighted that the process allowed the municipality to recover unpaid historical expenses. “We were able to recoup some historical monitoring and reporting costs incurred by the municipality at Southwest Middlesex to sole expense between 2018 and 2025… and both partner municipalities have received their invoices and are agreeable to paying them in full,” she said.
Councillors sought clarification on how the new formula compared to the original 1992 structure. Councillor Martin Vink recalled that past percentages appeared different. Gubbels explained that amalgamations since 1992 changed the composition of the municipalities involved. “The percentages might have looked different, but when we amalgamated the municipality, this is the net result,” she said, noting that legal teams from all three municipalities reviewed and confirmed the formula.
Councillor Mark McGill asked for a future update on total closure costs and the status of reserves. Treasurer Denice Williamson said staff could bring back a report after the budget cycle, adding it would align with other financial priorities.
Council approved the recommendation unanimously. Before moving on, Mayor Mayhew thanked Gubbels for her work. “It deserves applause really, because I know that was a tough file, and you did exceptionally well on that,” he said.
