Durham Region, Clarington still in “negotiation” on anaerobic digester despite end of mediation

Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster said the lines of communications are still open with the Region of Durham over the future Anaerobic Digestion Facility in south Courtice, despite a letter from Durham’s Chief Administrative Officer “terminating” the mediation process between the two sides over “delays, lack of engagement and activity in the media.”

Elaine Baxter-Trahair wrote she was “disappointed” to discover Clarington Council was still demanding the provincial environment ministry perform an environmental assessment on the proposed facility while the sides were involved in mediation.

The meditation “is no longer promoting the best interests of Durham Region” as a whole and, accordingly, “is terminated as of the date of this letter,” Baxter-Trahair stated in her correspondence. “Durham … will be proceeding with its development as planned.”

Foster, however, said the two sides are still “in negotiation” regarding the proposed facility.

“We’ll get everyone back to the table and we will continue to talk.”

In her letter, Baxter-Trahair said the Region would have been willing to “explore alternatives” to the current site on Durham-owned lands on Courtice Road South – right next to the Durham-York Energy Centre, near the planned site of the new headquarters for Ontario Power Generation and not far from where a future Courtice waterfront park and GO station will be – as part of the mediation process.

If there was any substance to her promise, Foster wasn’t saying.

“You’d have to ask the Region about that,” he said. “I can’t accuse them of saying one thing and meaning another.”

Baxter-Trahair did not respond to requests for comment.