I object to the proposal…

I object to the proposal from Walker Aggregates Inc. to be allowed to take 7,920,000 litres of water per day, every day of the year, for ten years, to wash aggregates at its pit at 381769 Concession 4 Road in Hanover, Ontario. This constitutes a Category 3 license, defined as “water takings are anticipated to have the highest potential of causing unacceptable environmental impact or interference.” Aggregate washing produces wastewater containing suspended solids, fine particles and potentially chemicals used in the process. Aggregate washing, a process used to clean construction aggregates like sand and gravel, can have negative environmental impacts, including water quality degradation, habitat destruction, and increased erosion and sedimentation. While washing can improve the quality of aggregates for construction, it also generates wastewater that can pollute nearby water bodies.
I do not believe that any Category 3 license should be issued, given the threat level it poses – the risk is simply too great. Furthermore, the December 2023 Report of Office of the Auditor General of Ontario’s Value-for-Money Audit: Management of Aggregate Resources, identified serious deficiencies in compliance within the aggregate industry and pointed out that the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry did not enforce self-reporting requirements.
In the absence of any evidence that the Ministry has eliminated these flaws, the awarding of any Category 3 license at this time is unconscionable.