Thank-you for the…

Thank-you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed amendments to the Aggregate Resources Act. I am a resident that has in the past dealt with the OMB regarding aggregate extraction.

You seem to be taking more and more away from the municipalities. You are over riding zoning by-laws?! If Crown land is within their jurisdiction they need to know about aggregate applications. Who is paying for the damaged infrastructure?? The money from the producers is not enough to cover the damaged roads and bridges in a municipality. Why should taxpayers pay for this damage when the producer gets off with not paying their share? Many producers do not even live in the municipality in which they are operating the quarry so their taxes are not going to the municipality.

How are you clarifying haul routes? Haul Routes were never a part of the ARA's responsibility. The public needs protection when new haul routes are being developed. LPAT and the Minister are objective ears that can speak for the public. You are saying that the agreements between the producer and the municipality are VOLUNTARY!!! This makes no sense! They need to be COMPULSORY! Some of these quarries are in residential areas. Property values will drop. There will be tremendous dust and noise. Who will protect or speak for the public? There are issues with school buses, snow removal, noise, safety etc. These things need to be put in a COMPULSORY agreement. Also to add insult to injury these same residents are paying for damage to roads and bridges because the producer does not pay enough to the Municipality to cover these costs.

Site plan amendments should not be more flexible. This to me implies a short cut.

Enhanced rehab would not be needed if the environment was not disturbed in the first place. Protecting our environment is paramount. Aggregate is not a renewable resource. What are you doing to find a replacement? Rehab is great but if a species at risk has been removed due to a quarry operation how on earth do you get them back? Planting trees is one thing but getting animals that are at risk to begin with to repopulate is another thing

Please do not forfeit public/environmental protection just so business can be carried out faster. Please keep quarries away from protected environmental areas. We NEED the outdoors for our mental health.

Shortcuts are never a good idea.

Respectfully submitted.