Citizens Against Melrose…

Citizens Against Melrose Quarry (CAMQ)
Submission to:
ERO: 019-0279 -- Provincial Policy Statement Review –
Proposed Changes 2019 07 22

CITIZENS AGAINS MELROSE QUARRY (CAMQ) is a not for profit community organization in Tyendinaga Township, Hastings County. We promote responsible, sustainable and equitable resource use.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes to the
Provincial Policy Statement (PPS)

CAMQ believes that the current PPS unduly favours aggregate extraction over agriculture. We concur with Gravel Watch that there does not appear to be any shortage of gravel. Given the effects of climate change, we believe that Ontario may well be facing a loss in agricultural production. To convert more agricultural land to non-food production does not appear to be in our collective best interests.

Coupled with the general loss of agricultural land is the destruction of land that occurs over decades due to aggregate mining. Land rehabilitation occurs only after years of lost food production and it is questionable if the land will ever grow crops again.

Finally, CAMQ is concerned about the effects of quarrying below the water table. Each year, billions of litres of water must be pumped to keep quarry floors dry for further mining. Water removed from the local aquifer becomes unavailable for aquifer recharge, making the immediate area a less sustainable environment for surrounding homes and farms.

In areas lacking access to municipal water supplies, quarrying below the water table MUST NOT infringe on the rights of Ontarians to clean drinking water. The Proposed Provincial Policy Statement, section 2.2.1 (f) suggests implementing necessary restrictions on extractive to:

1. protect all municipal drinking water supplies and designated vulnerable areas; and 2. protect, improve or restore vulnerable surface and ground water, sensitive surface water features and sensitive ground water features, and their hydrologic functions;

CAMQ suggests that section 2.2.1 (f) of the proposed PPS aim to protect ALL drinking water supplies – whether they be rural groundwater supplies or municipal water supplies. This provision would make the PPS consistent with Ontario’s Aggregate Resources Act, section 12 (1) (f) which requires the Minister to have regard for ‘any possible effects on ground and surface water resources including on drinking water sources.’

In visioning Ontario’s housing supply and mix, it’s important to remember that not all municipalities have access to a municipal drinking water system. Many rural municipalities rely on groundwater for residential and agricultural drinking water and they need to benefit from protections equal to those in municipalities.

With the above in mind, we believe the PPS needs to be mindful of the broader need to protect cropland and rural groundwater supplies.

Sincerely,

Sue Munro,
Chair,
Citizens Against Melrose Quarry
www.citizensagainstmelrosequarry.com
camq2013@gmail.com