To whom it may concern, I…

To whom it may concern,
I have reviewed the materials for Strada Aggregates’ request to amend their Permit to Take Water, and I must object.

While this is described as a routine adjustment for aggregate washing, it is part of a much larger plan — one that involves quarrying below the water table in Melancthon Township. The water-taking and the quarry are two halves of the same operation. Looking at one without the other gives a false picture of the total impact.

These projects should be brought under a single, coordinated review. Anything less risks setting a precedent where companies can advance major changes to our landscape by dividing them into smaller, easier approvals.

1. The long-term water balance is unknown

The permit would allow millions of litres per day, all year round, in an area where water tables fluctuate with the seasons. Over time, these withdrawals can change the direction and pressure of groundwater flow. Once that balance is disturbed, there is no quick fix — it can take decades for aquifers to recover, if they ever do. Before granting any extension, the ministry should require a multi-year hydrogeological study that considers long-term drawdown and recovery rates, not just short-term capacity.

2. Oversight and enforcement are weak

Experience in Ontario shows that water-taking permits are often approved with conditions that rely on self-reporting. Monitoring wells, flow meters, and sampling are only as reliable as the operator’s diligence. There is little independent verification, and the public rarely sees the data. If this permit proceeds, the ministry must commit to independent third-party audits and real-time public reporting of water-taking volumes.

3. The regional precedent is troubling

Allowing another below-water-table operation with continuous pumping would set a new standard for intensity in this part of Dufferin County. Other operators will point to this approval as justification for future applications. Once multiple operations begin drawing from the same groundwater system, the cumulative effects multiply. The ministry must consider regional capacity, not just site-specific limits.

4. Climate change adds uncertainty

This area has already seen erratic rainfall and longer dry spells in recent years. Approving a permit based on historic averages ignores the likelihood of more frequent drought. Water that once seemed plentiful may not remain so. Policy should err on the side of conservation, not expansion, especially for non-essential industrial uses.

In short, this is not a minor technical amendment. It is a decision about the long-term future of our shared water supply.

I ask the ministry to pause this application, review it together with the associated quarry proposal, and ensure that independent experts and local residents have a full opportunity to examine the combined effects.

Respectfully,

A Concerned Resident of Melancthon