Cornwall City Counsel

A LOVE CANAL WAITING TO HAPPEN IN CORNWALL, ONTARIO?

The Domtar Paper mill site and dump in Cornwall, Ontario, valued at around $18 million was sold in September 2006, for approximately $4 million, to 2113467 Inc., Paris Holdings (Property Asset Recovery Industrial Surplus), with undisclosed terms and covenants relating to liability and clean up of soil and water affected, for over 120 years, by mill and human waste.

Domtar still maintains control of the dump which is the source of leachate that contaminates ground water between the dump and the St. Lawrence River (with the City of Cornwall Water Purification Plant in between).

With the sale came questions about contaminated ground, water, health hazards ...and who would be on the hook for a cleanup?

Considering the long history of the pulp and paper industry as a source of pollution and toxic waste… will this industry's legacy be one of miscarriages, still births, birth defects, crib deaths, nervous breakdowns, mental retardation, hyperactivity, epilepsy, and urinary tract disorders?

Cornwall has long choked on mill town air borne pollutants – likely including hormone-disrupting and carcinogenic chemicals, such as nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides chlorinated phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They aren’t being pumped out anymore, but the legacy remains.

That legacy includes toxic chemicals used in paper making, including solvents and chlorine compounds used to bleach and delignify pulp and the toxins used as biocides to prevent bacterial growth in the pulp and finished paper products. Pulp and paper mills are famous as sources of chlorinated and non-chlorinated benzenes, phenolics (PAH) and poly chlorinated biphenols (PCB’s) along with a variety of heavy metals; persistent pollutants that bio-accumulate in humans, including mercury often used as a biocide.

Should the City of Cornwall and Province of Ontario initiate “Tort Liability for Contaminated Land” proceedings? And should property be held undisturbed until the provisions of the sale are made known along with the true state of the mill site, the dump (aka Big Ben), the canal and the river front.

PARIS Holdings is headed by Stephen McDonald, Rose’s stepson, and director Martin Rose, Rose’s son. Major investors in PARIS Holdings, were Gerrard Rose, and Trenholm Healy. Demo Plus and a subcontractor Sergerie Mechanical, carrying out demolition and remediation of the site. Real Estate agents/broker of record have been Terry Landon and Jamie Cameron of ReMax.

Gerrard Rose
May 2, 2001, Court imposes $9,500 fine against Gerrard Rose and a $20,000 fine against his Rose Mechanical Limited
R. v. Rose Mechanical Limited/Gerrard Rose (May 2/01) p.23
October 21, 2002, Court dismisses appeals with respect to preceding.
R. v. Rose Mechanical Limited/Gerrard Rose (October 21/02) p.38

Trenholm Healy
Court appointed Receiver to begin filing claims against Trenholm Healy as part of the Millennium Bank Ponzi scheme recovery of assets.
Receiver Status Report and Update
Reported owner of United Trust of Switzerland and director Millennium Bank Inc.
Millennium Bank Inc. Controllers' Report (2004) p.3, 4, 6
Reported as recipient of $1 million from William Wise (Millennium Bank CEO, central to $120 million fraud)
Receiver's Report p.2
Reported as litigant in a $40 million law suit against ICI (owned by AkzoNobel ).
SOMO - AkzoNobel Report 2008 p.5

PARIS Holdings (Property Asset Recovery Industrial Surplus)
June 4, 2008, 2113467 Ontario Inc. (PARIS Holdings) fined $10,000 for Environmental Protection Act violation.
Court Bulletin
July 14, 2010, Paris Holdings fined $60,000 plus victim surcharges for Health and Safety Act violations (resulting in injury).
Court Bulletin

Sergerie Mechanical
July 14, 2010, Sergerie Mechanical fined $50,000 plus victim surcharges for Health and Safety Act violations (resulting in injury).
Supervisor Tim Sergerie received a further $6,000 fine for disturbing the accident scene after the fact.
Court Bulletin

James Cameron
June 27, 2002, Administrative penalty of $2500 and costs of $1700 payable to Real Estate Council of Ontario
Discipline Decision
October 8, 2002, Appeal Dismissed and costs of $1750 payable to Real Estate Council of Ontario
Appeal Dismissed