Brady landfill remains closed amid protest at entrance

Winnipeg's only active landfill remains closed to the public ten days after a blockade at the facility's entrance first went into place.

Tre Delaronde and Tom McNeil are among a group of people who have been camping at the blockade outside the landfill.

“We are here for our women, for our MMIW, for the families of the MMIW. We are here to make sure that they have a voice and that it’s going to be heard,” Delaronde told CTV News Wednesday.

Delaronde and McNeil are part of a group of family, community members and other advocates who want the landfill to be searched for remains of missing Indigenous women.

The Winnipeg Police Service found remains of 24-year-old Rebecca Contois at the site in June.

“We are here because of the remains of Morgan [Harris] and Rebecca Contois and those of other stolen sisters believed to be in the Brady Landfill,” Delaronde said.

Police believe the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are at the privately-owned Prairie Green Landfill, which has been closed since Dec. 8.

“I know Morgan Harris through homeless shelters and I just want her found. This is not the right way for people to be,” McNeil said.

The three women, along with a fourth woman given the name Buffalo Woman by the community, are alleged to have been killed by Jeremy Skibicki, who has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder. The charges have not been proven in court.

The group said the blockade will stay in place until a search is conducted.

“Our women are not trash, our women do not belong to be in the landfill. They belong to be with their families,” Delaronde added.

The Brady Road facility has been closed since Dec. 18 and there is no word on when the site will reopen.

“There is no public access to the Brady Road landfill and Brady 4R Winnipeg Depot during the ongoing protests near the entrance to the facility,” a prepared statement from the City of Winnipeg said. “The City has enacted contingency plans for all garbage and recycling collection and is attempting to maintain these services without disruption during the current facility closure. We won't be discussing or providing comment on these contingency plans, in part for security reasons.”

Coun. Brian Mayes said diverting garbage to other facilities is necessary, but only as a short-term solution.

"We’ve got to come up with a plan,” Mayes, the city’s water and waste committee chair, said. “We’re still collecting garbage from a couple hundred thousand doors. It’s got to go somewhere.”

Mayes understands why the group is protesting but adds the closure means rising costs for the city and a rising number of complaints from residents unable to access the Brady Road facility.

"That’s increasing in volume and frequency. We’re still talking and we’d like to try and get this resolved peacefully and get people, get the landfill reopened."

Mayes hopes a federally funded feasibility study into searching landfills brings some resolution to the matter.

- With files from CTV News' Charles Lefebvre