The "State of Aggregate Resources in Ontario Study" (SAROS) was published by the Government of Ontario in February 2010.
The summary report recommends an underground mine or a "mega-quarry" as the ideal solution to meeting Ontario's aggregate needs.
The study area is 75 kms around Vaughan (the city with the highest growth/construction expectations) to adhere to the "close to market" policy built into the Aggregate Resources Act (ARA) and excludes Ontario's largest limestone quarry on Manitoulin island amongst others.
The Highland Companies started buying land in Melancthon in 2006.
In her ARA Review submission, Helen Purdy points out that “Five of the six SAROS Papers commissioned by the Ministry of Natural Resources were authored by consulting firms that prepared planning or licensing application reports for the Highland Companies.”
SAROS - http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Aggregates/Publication/287375.html
Helen's ARA Review submission - http://www.gravelwatch.org/orig-gw/misc/ARA-review-2012/Submissions/H-Purdy-Comments-Aggregate-Resources-Act.pdf
2nd submission - http://www.gravelwatch.org/orig-gw/misc/ARA-review-2012/Submissions/Purdy-ARA-2nd-Submission.pdf
Helen requested audience in front of the ARA Review Committee but was denied.
(Tx to D.B. for this great piece of information)
Unbelievable. Will it never end? Oh YES, it will end with THIS application, we will not stand for it.
ReplyDeleteCarl Cosack
City Council could've ended this long ago by simply refusing to approve the official plan and zoning amemdment Highlands filed with Council.
ReplyDeleteHighlands property was never zoned for a quarry. Now it is.
Call it like it is, it is "CORRUPTION" and sloppy at that. The contempt of Highland and our so called politicians (except for a few) knows no bounds. Perhaps it's time to come out swinging and screaming from the roof tops "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore". Let's not kid ourselves, this is not a democracy.
ReplyDeleteUm, no official plan or zoning amendments have been approved....
ReplyDeleteYou cannot file for a licence under the ARA without the site being zoned for a quarry.
ReplyDeleteIf the site is not zoned for a quarry why has Highlands filed for a licence?
Application for Zoning By-law Amendment - Click Here
Application for an Official Plan Amendment - Click Here
http://melancthontownship.ca/aggregateupdate.htm
Have the above two applications (found on the township website link above) not been approved by council?
To anon august 24-you CAN file for an aggregate licence without the zoning and OP being amended and that is what Highlands has done. So council hasn't provided an "in" for them, but they probably will whent he time comes. They seem to like supporters of grass roots organizations to pay for the stuff they should be doing because, as they keep saying, they have no money to go to the OMB>
ReplyDeleteARA s. 12.1 prohibits the minister from issuing a licence if the site is not zoned for a quarry.
ReplyDeleteZoning by-law prohibition on licence
12.1 (1) No licence shall be issued for a pit or quarry if a zoning by-law prohibits the site from being used for the making, establishment or operation of pits and quarries.
The area is not zoned for a quarry, thus no licence can be issued. Filing a licence application cost money. I realize the application fee for Highlands is not a concern for this massive company, but no one would file an application and pay the filing fee if you already know your application is going to be rejected.
Highlands requires an official plan and zoning amendment. They have filed these applications with council and I provide the links in my previous post. They were filed with council over a year ago. They appear to have been filed in May, 2011.
Are you telling me that council has still not dealt with these applications that were before council over 15 months ago?
How could they deal with something that is only 15 months old? Their "planner" is working on updating their 30 year old Official Plan.
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