The Attorney General of…

The Attorney General of Ontario and environmental groups say we have 38 years of aggregate supply in Ontario. We do not need this BELOW THE WATER TABLE BLAST QUARRY! Mr. DeGasperis has no interest in our area nor our HEALTHY community. He is willing to risk our air quality, water volume and purity, the natural beauty of our surroundings, our productive farmland and fish ponds, our road safety, our calm, quiet neighbourhood in Horning’s Mills, all for unneeded aggregate mining and the lucrative business he is in.
He is a friend of Mr. Ford, who has no regard for the environment. Our PC representative is not there for us even though she knows of our plight and she is the health minister. She prefers photo ops with the executives of aggregate companies and has no communication with her constituents.

Who can we turn to to save our way of life and that of the natural surroundings that we respect and enjoy?

Here in Melancthon, we live at the headwaters of 3 rivers: the Pine, the Boyne and the Grand. These rivers flow into major river systems in Southern Ontario. The folks downriver have had no notice of the eventual effect of this mining operation, and thus no opportunity to oppose. Strada wants to draw on a massive amount of pure water for 50 years which will affect their water sources. This effluent from the proposed mine will contain inorganic and organic material that can harm us.

The current Strada pit sits atop an aquifer of pristine water cleansed by the very limestone they want to extract. To remove the limestone is bad enough but to threaten the aquifer is unconscionable. I and my neighbours have wells and no other source of water. How can a company’s application even be allowed, let alone considered, when it means others who depend on the water lose everything?

Mr. DeGasperis will not just haul away our limestone, he will haul away our very existence.

Respectfully submitted,

Bette Ross, RN, MSc Epidemiology and Biostatistics
229 Main Street,
Horning’s Mills
Melancthon