I am writing to officially…

I am writing to officially declare my opposition to the application from Strada Aggregates to operate a quarry, blasting below the water table, in Melancthon Township.

This matters to me because of the following:
My husband and I moved to this area in early 2023 in hopes of raising our children in a place where we could thrive. It is important to us that our family live in a place where we can grow our own food, breathe clean air and experience the many benefits of living amongst nature. We are located on the border of Mulmur and Melancthon, and knew, upon purchasing this home, that these townships are known and treasured for their natural resources. We are extremely disheartened to learn of STRADA’s dishonest plans to expand their existing pit. This blast quarry WILL affect our family, and most importantly, the health and well-being of our young children. We do NOT want this and know that if it goes through, it will be VERY difficult for us to sell our home to relocate elsewhere. We will be trapped and unable to provide our children with the life we were striving for upon planting our roots here.

I am opposed to this new quarry for the following reasons:

Water: Blasting below the water table produces incalculable risks to the supply of pure local water that is essential for our personal use and for the agriculture on which we all depend. As Melancthon is the headwaters for three major river systems, contamination will flow in all directions to neighbouring communities and water systems.

Health and Safety Risks: Blasting at quarries produces hazardous silica dust and airborne pollutants, posing severe respiratory risks to all residents, workers, and children. The noise, vibrations and fly rock from blasting threaten the safety of everyone outside as well as the calm we now enjoy.

Environmental Impact: The proposed quarry would irreversibly scar our landscape, destroy wildlife habitats and destroy endangered species. The related increases in truck traffic and industrial activity will further degrade air and water quality, endangering both local ecosystems and agricultural lands.

Traffic and Commuting: Commuting patterns will be severely disrupted for those travelling for work as an estimated sixty-five forty-ton gravel trucks per hour will pass through a single choke point at Masonville. All other road traffic will be adversely impacted as well.

Community Well-being: The community’s rural character, natural beauty, and possible emerging economies such as tourism are all at risk. Introducing a blast quarry undermines our vision for sustainable growth and the enjoyment of a naturally healthy environment by current and future generations. Long-term homeowners will leave. Newcomers will be scarce.

Lack of Transparency and Consultation: Residents and local First Nations have not been properly consulted. There has bee insufficient public engagement in the development of this proposal as it was filed without the agreement of the independent community reviewer who has since been terminated. No impact studies have yet been made available to support community understanding.

Economic Burden: The costs of road repairs, drainage, and other remedial activities caused by quarry operations are unfairly borne by taxpayers, while the long- term value of our community is diminished. There is no financial benefit to our community. Property values will drop.

No Need for Aggregates: At present there are enough licensed quarries in Ontario to supply industry for a very long time. In the greater Golden Horseshoe, Ontario’s large, densely populated urban region in Southern Ontario, the Reform Gravel Mining Coalition estimates that at current consumption rates, there is a 38-year supply of aggregate.