This consultation was open from:
December 19, 2024
to January 18, 2025
Decision summary
Permit to Take Water No. 7181-DH2KA3 was issued to St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada) on August 12, 2025.
Location details
Site address
585 Water Street South
St. Marys,
ON
N4X 1B6
Canada
Site location map
The location pin reflects the approximate area where environmental activity is taking place.
View this location on a map opens link in a new windowProponent(s)
St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada)
585 Water Street South
St. Marys,
ON
N4X 1B6
Canada
Decision details
Permit to Take Water No. 7181-DH2KA3 was issued to St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada) on August 12, 2025. Details of the water taking are as follows:
Source of water: Deep Well 3
- source type: well
- purpose of taking: industrial - cooling water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 3,024
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 4,354,560
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 7 years
Source of water: Deep Well 4
- source type: well
- purpose of taking: industrial - cooling water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 2,703
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 3,892,320
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 7 years
Source of water: Deep Well 5
- source type: well
- purpose of taking: industrial - cooling water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 2,841
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 4,091,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 60
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 7 years
Source of water: Garage Well
- purpose of taking: water supply
- maximum rate per minute (litres): seven
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 10,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 7 years
Source of water: Crusher Well
- purpose of taking: water supply
- maximum rate per minute (litres): one
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 2,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 7 years
Source of water: South Quarry Pond
- purpose of taking: dewatering
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 13,888.9
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 20,000,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 30
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 7 years
Source of water: South Quarry Pond
- purpose of taking: dewatering
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 6,944
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 10,000,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 7 years
Source of water: North Quarry Sump
- purpose of taking: dewatering
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 2,100
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 30,240,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 7 years
Source of water: South Quarry Pond
- purpose of taking: industrial
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 4,542.5
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 6,541,200
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 30
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 7 years
Permits to Take Water include conditions that require the permit holder to:
- collect and record the daily amount of water taken
- comply with the terms and conditions in the permit
- immediately report complaints or interference to the ministry
- report water takings each year to the ministry
Issued Permits to Take Water can be viewed and downloaded at Access Ontario, by searching the approval number 7181-DH2KA3 in the search field located at the top of the map, see “I want to…Search by Approval Number”, here: Access Environment
Access Environment displays the following information:
- business name
- facility address and location on an interactive map
- type of approval or registration from the ministry (view a PDF& copy)
- date of issue
- status of the approval (approved, amended, revoked and/or replaced)
- status of the registration (registered, suspended, removed)
Effects of consultation
Comments relevant to the water taking proposal were considered as part of the review of the application. The main concern raised was:
- A recommendation to explore opportunities for water reuse, such as reusing water used to wash aggregate, rather than relying on fresh water for purposes other than dewatering.
Ministry technical staff reviewed the requested amendment to the currently authorized taking from the South Quarry Pond and confirmed that the proposed changes remain appropriate, given their limited duration and purpose. The Ministry also reviewed monitoring data collected over several years and did not identify any significant adverse impacts resulting from the permitted takings.
The Ministry notes that aggregate washing does occur at the Thomas Street Quarry under a separate Permit to Take Water (P-300-8251223586), which is administered outside the scope of this application. The water used for aggregate washing is taken from two on-site source ponds not associated with the current permit. As such, the current application does not relate to water use for aggregate processing. Furthermore it may not be practical to reuse water from the cement manufacturing operation for aggregate washing since the aggregate washing operations are located approximately 1km away from the cement manufacturing, and it is separated by the North Thames River.
While water reuse is not currently a requirement under the OWRA, the Ministry encourages water conservation and efficiency wherever feasible. The Ministry considers a range of risk factors related to the surrounding environment and other users of the water resource and applies an adaptive management approach. This approach, supported by the Director’s authority under the OWRA, ensures that permits can be amended as needed at any time.
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
How to Appeal
This instrument decision can be appealed. You have 15 days from August 26, 2025 to begin the appeal process.
Carefully review the information below to learn more about the appeal process.
How to appealClick to Expand Accordion
Start the process to appeal
If you’re an Ontario resident, you can start the process to appeal this instrument decision.
First, you’ll need to seek leave (i.e. get permission) from the relevant appellate body to appeal the decision.
If the appellate body grants leave, the appeal itself will follow.
Seek leave to appeal
To seek leave to appeal, you need to do these three things:
- prepare your application
- provide notice to the minister
- mail your application to three parties
1. Prepare your application
You’ll need to prepare an application. You may wish to include the following things in your application:
- A document that includes:
- your name, phone number, fax number (if any), and/or email address
- the ERO number and ministry reference number (located on this page)
- a statement about whether you are a resident in Ontario
- your interest in the decision, and any facts you want taken into account in deciding whether you have an interest in the decision
- the parts of the instrument that you’re challenging
- whether the decision could result in significant harm to the environment
- the reason(s) why you believe that no reasonable person – having regard to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind – could have made the decision
- the grounds (facts) you’ll be using to appeal
- the outcome you’d like to see
- A copy of the instrument (approval, permit, order) that you you are seeking leave to appeal. You’ll find this in the decision notice on the Environmental Registry
- Copies of all supporting documents, facts and evidence that you’ll be using to appeal
What is considered
The appeal body will consider the following two questions in deciding whether to grant you leave to appeal:
- is there is good reason to believe that no reasonable person, with respect to the relevant law and to any government policies developed to guide decisions of that kind, could have made the decision?
- could the decision you wish to appeal result in significant harm to the environment?
2. Provide your notice
You’ll need to provide notice to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks that you’re seeking leave to appeal.
In your notice, please include a brief description of the:
- decision that you wish to appeal
- grounds for granting leave to appeal
You can provide notice by email at minister.mecp@ontario.ca or by mail at:
College Park 5th Floor, 777 Bay St.
Toronto, ON
M7A 2J3
3. Mail your application
You’ll need to mail your application that you prepared in step #1 to each of these three parties:
- appellate body
- issuing authority (the ministry official who issued the instrument)
- proponent (the company or individual to whom the instrument was issued)
St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada)
585 Water Street South
St. Marys,
ON
N4X 1B6
Canada
Registrar, Ontario Land Tribunal
655 Bay Street, Suite 1500
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1E5
(416) 212-6349
(866) 448-2248
OLT.Registrar@ontario.ca
Include the following:
This is not legal advice. Please refer to the Environmental Bill of Rights for exact legal requirements. Consult a lawyer if you need help with the appeal process.
Connect with us
Contact
Client Services and Permissions Branch
135 St Clair Ave West
1st Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Original proposal
Proposal details
This proposal is to amend the Permit to Take Water No. 5436-CAMTAG for St. Marys Cement Inc. (Canada). Water will be taken from five wells and two ponds for industrial, water supply and dewatering purposes at 585 Water Street South, located in St. Marys, Ontario. This application is for the addition of a water taking source for emergency fire suppression and increased storm event dewatering. Details of the water taking are as follows:
Source of water: Deep Well 3
- source type: well
- purpose of taking: industrial - cooling water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 3,024
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 4,354,560
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 10 years
Source of water: Deep Well 4
- source type: well
- purpose of taking: industrial - cooling water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 2,703
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 3,892,320
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 10 years
Source of water: Deep Well 5
- source type: well
- purpose of taking: industrial - cooling water
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 2,841
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 4,091,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 60
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 10 years
Source of water: Garage Well
- purpose of taking: water supply
- maximum rate per minute (litres): seven
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 10,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 10 years
Source of water: Crusher Well
- purpose of taking: water supply
- maximum rate per minute (litres): one
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 2,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 10 years
Source of water: South Quarry Pond
- purpose of taking: dewatering
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 13,888.9
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 20,000,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 30
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 10 years
Source of water: South Quarry Pond
- purpose of taking: dewatering
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 6,944
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 10,000,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 10 years
Source of water: North Quarry Sump
- purpose of taking: dewatering
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 2,100
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 30,240,000
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 365
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 10 years
Source of water: South Quarry Pond
- purpose of taking: industrial
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 4,542.5
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 24
- maximum volume per day (litres): 6,541,200
- maximum number of days of taking per year: 30
- period of taking: January 1 to December 31 for 10 years
There are 3 categories of a Permit to Take Water:
- Category 1: water takings are anticipated to have a lower risk of causing an unacceptable environmental impact/interference
- Category 2: water takings are anticipated to having a higher potential of causing unacceptable environmental impact or interference
- Category 3: water takings are anticipated to have the highest potential of causing unacceptable environmental impactor interference
The proposed water taking qualifies as a Category 3 permit
Supporting materials
View materials in person
Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person.
Get in touch with the office listed below to find out if materials are available.
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from December 19, 2024
to January 18, 2025
Connect with us
Contact
Client Services and Permissions Branch
135 St Clair Ave West
1st Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Comments received
Through the registry
1By email
0By mail
0