Credit Valley Conservation - Approval of an amendment to the Niagara Escarpment Plan

Credit Valley Conservation has applied to amend the Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP) to change the land use designation of a pit to Escarpment Natural Area and Escarpment Rural Area, consistent with the NEP land use designation objective and criteria.

The subject property known as the Pinchin Pit is located on the west side of Mississauga Road, south of Cataract Road (Wellington Road 124), north of the Cataract Trail, in the Town of Caledon, Region of Peel.

The southern 44 hectares (108.7 acres) portion of the former Pinchin Pit lands are in the NEP Area. AECON Construction Ltd. transferred lands to the Credit Valley Conservation in September 2013, and a remnant lot of approximately 4.8 hectares (12 acres) was retained by the pit owner (AECON). The remnant lot is included in the amendment proposal.

The lands are currently designated Mineral Resource Extraction Area in the NEP, in conjunction with the sand and gravel extraction that operated for approximately 15 years. The extraction activities have ceased, and the Aggregate Resources Act licence No. 21666 has been surrendered, as confirmed by the Integrated Aggregates Operations Section of the Ministry of Northern Development Mines Natural Resources and Forestry (the ministry) on September 22, 2017. The subject property has been rehabilitated to the satisfaction of the ministry.

Public consultation opportunities

Sections 7 and 10 (1) of the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act requires that affected ministries and municipalities be provided with advance notice of the proposed amendment. The Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) will do so via direct email/mail and a posting on the NEC website. The proposal will also be posted in a local newspaper (Caledon Enterprise), inviting comment. Additionally, landowners within 120 m of the subject property will be notified via direct mail and invited to comment.