Alleged 'illegal' truck yards in Kleinburg are hurting quality of life, say residents

The Cold Creek Road community feels the city has left their rural neighbourhood behind

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 11, 2022
Brian Capitao

Some residents in a rural Kleinburg community have had it with what they allege are 'illegal' truck yards ruining their quality of life.

The Cold Creek Road community, north of Nashville Road, feels like the city of Vaughan has left them behind to deal with more urban issues, not taking into account their rural neighbourhood.

“It's been a slow accumulation, but it's becoming faster and faster over time," said area resident and assistant grower at George Sant and Sons.

Sant said it is now at the point where trucking yards are all around the area, many doing what they aren't supposed to in wetland areas.

“Because we own greenhouses, we have access to that information," he said. "So, they're building on there, and it doesn't seem to be slowed down or stopped."

A few of the truck yards do not even have permits to operate at their locations, according to local resident Mark Hopkins, who himself worked in the trucking industry for a stint. Many visibly exceed the allowed tonnage on the road, a clear violation of the city signs, Hopkins said, adding trucks were also not going on the correct truck routes.

Truck yards keep cropping up, residents say: as one closes, another opens. The excess dust has become cause for concern for them as contaminants may creep up in the well water. The Sants are already concerned about the water, as the wells are shallow and more susceptible to contaminants.

The quality of life is also in decline, they added, as noise and light pollution occurs at odd hours of the day or night.

“Sundays, they seem to do all the repairs. So, there's constant heavy truck tire changing and air hammers going. And, you know, we're all sitting in our back yard, you know, having company over friends, relatives and got to listen to this stuff," said Dan Sant.

The truck yards take less than a week to set up and operate on weekends, according to residents.

“It’s so well-hidden except to the local community, and it is out of control,” said Coun. Marilyn Iafrate in a live-streamed city council meeting. “We are fully aware that one of the operators has created an illegal driveway from Cold Creek Road on to his property ... Our rural areas have become the wild west.”

The city agreed that the situation had gotten out of hand.

“The most unfortunate part is Mr. Hopkins and your neighbours are absolutely right. We are dealing with a number of land use issues," said Gus Michaels, the deputy city manager of community services. “In interim there’s a number of different matters that are currently before the court for a number of these locations.”

Still, residents are frustrated by what they consider the city's weak response to the issue.

"They say they give out fines. Yeah, but the fines are just basically a slap on the wrist and just the cost of doing business,” said Ron Sant of the fines imposed as a deterrent.

Suggestions like putting up jersey barriers and filing injunctions have failed to gain any traction.

A staff report is expected to be tabled in December.

Iafrate suggested possible avenues include looking into the minister of transportation doing vehicle checks and bringing the Ministry of Environment in to oversee concerns of runoff diesel and oil.

In the meantime, the Sants are left to wonder why the city has yet to crack down on the issue more.

“In rainy season, they track, I would say, two inches of mud on the road, and cars or bikes are flying down the road, and they hit this, and it's life or death,” said Dan Sant.