Amrize Canada Inc. (formerly named Lafarge Canada Inc.) - Permit to take water

Comments relevant to the proposed water taking were considered as part of the Ministry’s review of the application. The following list provides a general statement of the main technically relevant concerns raised with respect to the proposal and how they were considered by the Ministry:

1) Impacts to wetlands, rivers, and groundwater

Stakeholders identified concerns about impacts to nearby wetlands, the Speed River, and groundwater. The ministry required an expansion to the number of surface water and groundwater monitoring locations included in the monitoring program. The monitoring program includes:

1. on-site and off-site groundwater wells
2. surface water locations in the Speed River and wetland
3. selected private drinking water wells

This monitoring will establish baseline conditions and assess the effect of dewatering. Surface water and wetland mitigation measures, like infiltration ditches, will be reviewed through a separate industrial sewage approval. In addition, public data for the City of Guelph wells will also be used with the monitoring program data for impact assessment.

2) Impacts to private and municipal drinking water

Like the ministry’s review, stakeholders identified a possible risk to private and municipal wells. New monitoring wells are required to be installed between the quarry and nearby municipal and private wells. The ministry is also requiring a door‑to‑door private well survey be done within 500 m of the site. Finally, the company must submit a plan to install and operate an injection well to protect water supplies if needed.

3) Source water protection

Updating large source water protection studies, such as Tier three water budgets and WHPA-Q delineations, is outside the scope of this permit. The permit requires monitoring to make sure the water taking does not impact drinking water or the environment. The company must submit a plan to install and operate an injection well to protect water supplies if needed.

4) Length of the permit

The permit was issued for five years. This allows time to collect enough baseline and post-water taking data to determine if any initial impacts have occurred.

5) Only reviewing the 10‑year footprint

The Permit only allows dewatering in the approved 10‑year area. Limits to dewatering within the 10-year area have been set. If the company wants to dewater beyond the 10-year area, it must apply for a new or changed permit and will be required to submit technical studies assessing the potential impacts.

6) Cumulative effects

To reduce impacts to other water takings nearby, the company must install and operate an injection well.

7) Protecting deeper groundwater resources

Limits to dewatering have been set and additional geological studies are required to confirm the top of the Vinemount member across the 10-year area. Preventing excavation into the Vinemount member will help protect the deeper groundwater resource used by municipal wells.

8) Emergency water taking

A condition was included in the Permit for high‑volume water taking which limits the taking to only during large rain or spring melt events and for a maximum of 60 days per year.

9) Environmental Assessment request

The company is not proposing an extension to the quarry. The existing aggregate extraction area is already approved under an Aggregate Resources Act licence; therefore, an Environmental Assessment is not required.

10) Compensation if impacts occur

If wells are affected, the company must reduce their water taking and/or provide or pay for an alternative water supply.