concerning a dry materials dump located in the northern end of the town. Nearby residents complained about toxic pollutants generated by the dump that caused effects on their health. Many residents and mayor Steve Harris firmly requested the closure of the dump. In late 2005, a fire broke out underneath the material for several weeks and caused an evacuation from the nearby residents The fire was initially thought to be caused by combustible fuel, but according to the owners of the dump, a criminal act may have been involved. Several lawsuits were planned by residents against the owner and on July 11, 2006, the town went to court against the dump for a compensation of over $55,000 for the fire and cover costs for the evacuation process and firefighters salary Tensions rose once more when the owner, Gilles Proulx, launched a $750,000 lawsuit against a local couple. Proulx claimed that the couple had made comments against his reputation. The Quebec Ministry of Environment forced the owners to adopt measures to reduce the amount of toxic pollutants and gave them several delays to comply. About a year later, it received a second warning and was given another 10-day notice to meet the Ministry's standards or it would be forced to shut down its operations. On September 21, 2006, the Minister Claude Béchard ordered its closure but as the owners challenged the decision to court, it was re-opened occasionally. The site is currently not in operation as the case is still under study by a provincial court, but the Tribunal administratif du Québec said in October 2007 that they supported the Minister's decision. An appeal to that decision did not lead to changes, and the landfill operator further appealed to the Quebec Superior Court, to no avail. Due to its closure, it created a significant waste problem across the region as only one landfill site remains in operation in Val-des-Monts. Many businesses are forced to travel longer for waste disposals while costs skyrocketed. On occasion, various materials were dumped in many fields and lands. Twin city Ornans, France See also List of municipalities in Quebec References External links Municipality of Cantley website Affaires Municipales et Regions Quebec Statistics Canada Elections Canada Results - 39th General Election (2006) Director General of Quebec Elections Municipalities in Quebec Incorporated places in Outaouais National Capital Region (Canada)