Dear Neighbours, Community Partners, and Local Stakeholders,
We are writing to sound an urgent alarm regarding our shared local airshed. The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) is currently awaiting public feedback on an application by Ash Grove Cement to transition its Mississauga facility to burn Alternative Low-Carbon Fuels (ALCFs).
The absolute deadline for public comment is July 27, 2026. We encourage you to submit your comments no later than July 26, 2026.
The Context: What is the ALCF Program?
The Ontario Government, under regulation O.Reg 79/15, encourages industrial facilities to substitute traditional fossil fuels like coal with Alternative Low-Carbon Fuels. The stated goal of this initiative is three-fold: divert non-recyclable waste materials from ending up in provincial landfills, lower industrial fuel costs, and lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by reducing dependence on coal.
While reducing landfill waste and cutting global carbon emissions are vital goals, the execution of this project at the Mississauga plant raises critical questions about our public health and community safety within the stressed Clarkson/Oakville airshed.
The Problem: A Burdened Airshed and a Missed Opportunity
The Ash Grove facility remains the single largest industrial polluter within the Clarkson Airshed and the City of Mississauga. Our local community is already bearing an immense environmental burden. This vulnerability is dramatically worsened by the increasing frequency and intensity of Ontario wildfires which in conjunction with heat domes have repeatedly trapped severe particulate pollution over the GTA. In the past week (the week of Monday, July 13, 2026) this has resulted in some of the worst air quality indexes globally.
Furthermore, Enbridge Gas has expanded its direct pipeline infrastructure to the Ash Grove facility. This pipeline gives the plant the immediate capability to phase out coal entirely in favour of clean-burning natural gas, which would significantly reduce emissions.
Why is Ash Grove Pushing for "ALCFs" Over Pure Natural Gas?
Community members have rightly asked: If a direct natural gas line is ready, why not transition 100% to natural gas to help accelerate a true path to Net Zero emissions by 2050?
From the company's perspective, natural gas is still a fossil fuel, which counts fully against their regulated carbon targets. To lower their net emissions on paper, they rely on the biogenic content found in alternative waste fuels (wood chips, paper, or sawdust). Because biogenic matter absorbed carbon during its lifecycle, industrial carbon accounting considers its combustion to be 'carbon neutral.' Essentially, biogenic materials are treated as not having carbon dioxide emissions when used as a fuel. Additionally, burning processed waste is significantly cheaper for the facility than purchasing natural gas at market rates.
However, for residents living near the plant, burning solid waste fuels instead of natural gas introduces an unpredictable array of unquantifiable combustion byproducts, heavy metal residues, and unmonitored air contaminants into our air. In other words, we don’t really know what is going into the kiln and we don’t know what’s coming out of the stack. This would violate the intent of the special recognition given to the Southdown Industrial District. We believe the health of Mississauga residents must take priority over corporate carbon accounting strategies.
Take Action: Submit Your Comments Before July 27
Our community voice matters. We are finalizing a template comment letter that you can use to easily copy, customize, and submit your formal feedback to the Ministry. We will circulate this template shortly. Please do not include personal information (like a home address or phone number) inside the actual text body of the comment box. The ERO publishes approved comments publicly, and if they spot a home address or personal phone number in the text, they will still review it but cannot publish it for others to see.
In the meantime, if you wish to read up on this issue, please refer to the formal applications and other primary sources below.
Important Public Reference Links:
Thank you for your dedication to keeping our neighbourhood’s air safe to breathe.
Sincerely,
Sue Shanly - Meadow Wood Rattray Residents’ Association
Stephen Bruce - Parkland Area Residents’ Association
Ken Scholey - Joshua Creek Residents’ Association (Oakville)
Charlene Haupt - MIRANET
