To whom it may concern;…

To whom it may concern;

Please accept the following comments on behalf of ANSWER (Advocates for the North Shore Water and Environmental Resources).

ANSWER is a group of concerned citizens that resides within a small township along the shores of Lake Huron in Northern Ontario. We have made it our mission to protect a pristine wetland complex from a proposed quarry development. We are opposed to the changes to “remove the prohibition on new mineral aggregate operations, wayside pits and quarries from habitats of endangered and threatened species within the Natural Heritage System for the Growth Plan”.

University research beginning in June 2017 was recently published (Global Ecology and Conservation, 20 (2019) e00751) and reported that there is a dense population of Blanding’s turtles in the area proposed for this quarry development. The researchers captured 56 Blanding’s turtles and estimated the population to be about 80 +/- 18 with a density of about 1.84 turtles/ha, which is among the highest reported densities for the species. Critical nesting and overwintering habitat were identified and based on legislated provincial and federal recovery guidelines for Blanding’s turtle, at least 63% and at most 100% of the proposed quarry area is categorized as endangered species habitat. It was concluded by the scientific authors of the research manuscript that; “The quarry proposal should be rejected if the spirit of the legislation is upheld, but it remains to be seen whether science, politics, or money will prevail”.

The Role of Mineral Aggregate Resources

The Advocates for the North Shore Water & Environmental Resources are members of Gravel Watch Ontario, and we agree with their comments on mineral aggregate resources with regard to availability and demand, their impact upon communities, human health and the environment.

As stated in their letter, “Among the changes proposed for the Growth Plan are several related to mineral extraction. While it is understood that mineral aggregate resources are necessary for housing development and municipal infrastructure, there does not appear to be any sound evidence that there is a supply crisis. The declining price of aggregate and the fact that Ontario exports much of its product supports this.” (In our particular situation, there seems to be no immediate need for the trap rock as there is another large trap rock quarry nearby. This quarry suggests that it can meet demand for trap rock aggregate for many decades to come). These factors should be taken into account before surging ahead with indiscriminate development.

We believe that a temporary moratorium should be placed on expansion of urban boundaries. There is evidence of sufficient developable land within existing urban boundaries to meet needs until at least 2031. Unnecessary destruction of sustainable farmland and natural areas cannot become the norm. Pits and quarries need to be kept out of sensitive lands that are home to an ever-increasing number of endangered species. In light of the current global biodiversity crisis, the protection of Ontario’s rarest plants and animals must be a priority. Removing protections that have been put in place to protect endangered species sets us back decades.

We urge regulators to support the science behind conservation and make informed decisions. Politics and money, alone, should not be guiding us as Ontario moves toward reopening its economy. The health of people and the environment should come first!

Sincerely,

Rhonda Kirby for ANSWER
(Advocates for the North Shore Water & Environmental Resources)

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