St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada) - Issuance of a licence to remove over 20,000 tonnes of aggregate annually from a pit or a quarry

St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada) has applied for a Class A licence, Pit Below Water, to excavate aggregate from a pit of 65.4 hectares in size with an extraction area of 22.4 hectares.

This application is for an expansion to the existing ARA licence no. 6538. It is proposed that all tonnage removed from the proposed licence and adjacent ARA licence no. 6538 will be combined for a total annual tonnage of 1,250,000 tonnes.

Other information

St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada) currently operates an adjacent site under the authority of licence no. 6538 under the ARA. In total, 203 hectares are currently licenced as a pit. The annual tonnage condition is unlimited.

The extraction of aggregate from a pit or quarry on private land designated by regulation, in the Province of Ontario, requires the issuance of a licence. Ontario Regulation 244/97 and the Aggregate Resources of Ontario Standards set out the application process and requirements.

For each new licence, the applicant must provide information (site plan, summary statement, technical reports) with respect to the existing features, operation and rehabilitation of the site to demonstrate that the proposed operation will minimize adverse impact on the environment.  

For this proposal, the following information has been prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (NDMNRF):

• Site plan
• Summary Statement
• Natural Environment Report Level 1 and 2
• Cultural Heritage Report (Archeological Assessment Stage 1 and 2)
• Maximum Predicted Water Table Report
• Water Report (Water Resources Report)
• Noise Assessment Report

The Site Plan addresses existing features of the pit and/or quarry area (existing natural features and land use on and surrounding the site within 120 meters); the proposed operation (shape, dimensions, area and depth to be excavated, method of extraction); and progressive and final rehabilitation.

The Summary Statement includes information on one or more of the following considerations: land use planning, agricultural classification, quality and quantity of aggregate, haul routes, truck traffic and entrance permits, progressive and final rehabilitation, surface water, and elevation of the established groundwater table.

The Natural Environment Report identifies the presence of significant natural heritage features/areas that exist on the site or within 120 meters of the site.  Where any of the features or areas have been identified, the report must identify and evaluate any negative impacts on the features or areas and ecological functions, and identify any proposed preventative, mitigative or remedial measures.  The report must also identify if the application site or any of the features are located within a natural heritage system that has been identified by a municipality in ecoregions 6E and 7E or by the province as part of a provincial plan.

The Cultural Heritage Report must be consistent with provincial requirements under the Ontario Heritage Act and the Provincial Policy Statement. Screening checklists evaluating the potential for archaeological resources, built heritage and cultural heritage landscapes, with supporting documentation, is required. Where screening indicates that assessments are requirement to be completed, the assessment reports and letters from the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Cultural Industries must be obtained. 

A report must be prepared that details how the maximum predicted water table is identified in metres above sea level, relative to the proposed depth of excavation at the site.

Applications proposing to excavate below the maximum predicted water table must complete a Water Report.  Level 1 determines the potential for impacts to ground water and surface water resources and their uses.  If the Level 1 identifies a potential for impacts resulting from the operation, then an impact assessment (Level 2) is required to determine the significance of the effect and potential for mitigation.

A Noise Assessment Report is prepared if proposed excavation and/or processing facilities are within 150 meters (for pit applications) or 500 meters (for quarry applications) of a sensitive receptor. The report is required to determine whether provincial guidelines for Stationary and Transportation Sources can be satisfied.

The Ministry reviews all comments received through the Environmental Registry of Ontario and the notification and consultation process under the ARA and considers them before making a decision.  Comments received through the Environmental Registry are considered by the Ministry however, the process under the ARA is proponent driven. This means that comments for consideration by the applicant under the ARA process must be submitted to the applicant and the Ministry during the 60-day consultation period initiated by the applicant.

Details of the application process can be found in Ontario Regulation 244/97 under the ARA and on the Ministry website at aggregate resources\ontario.ca. Many regulatory changes for new applications took effect on April 1, 2021.  This means that applications submitted after March 31, 2021 must meet the new requirements in Ontario Regulation 244/97 and Aggregate Resources of Ontario Standards.

Public consultation opportunities

Written notice concerning this application was delivered to landowners within 120 meters of the proposed licensed boundary; an information sign, giving notice to the public of this application, was erected at the proposed site; and a Public Notice of Application appeared in the local paper, the Brock Citizen on September 9, 2021.

Documents were available for review by contacting Mike Lebreton by email at Mike.Lebreton@vcimentos.com to request a link to download the documents. In place of a Public Information Session, a virtual information session was held on September 14, 2021 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.

The application for this licence was circulated within the Ministry of NDMNRF. Additionally, notification of this application has been forwarded to the Township of Brock, Region of Durham, the Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, for comment.