This consultation was open from:
December 22, 2025
to January 21, 2026
Decision summary
Permit to Take Water No. 0771-DTBPFJ was issued to Cox Construction Limited. Water will be taken from one pond for aggregate washing.
Location details
Site address
6711 Laird Road
Puslinch,
ON
Canada
Site location details
Lot 10, Concession 4
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)
Cox Construction Limited
P.O. Box 427
Guelph,
ON
N1E 6Y9
Canada
Decision details
Permit to Take Water No. 0771-DTBPFJ was issued to Cox Construction Limited. Water will be taken from one pond for aggregate washing. Details of the water taking are as follows:
Permit type: renewal
Source name: Dugout Pond
- purpose: aggregate washing
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 4,164
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 12
- maximum volume of taking per day (litres): 2,998,037
- maximum number of days of taking in a year: 228
- period of taking: April 1 to November 15 for 10 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, 0771-DTBPFJ, 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 concerns raised were regarding the following:
- The location of the subject property within a draft Water Quantity Wellhead Protection Area with a significant risk level, and consideration of source water protection policy WC-MC-22.1 in the Wellington County Chapter of the Grand River Source Protection Plan
- Consideration of appropriate terms and conditions to address potential impacts
- The inclusion of low water response conditions in the permit
The Ministry considered the above comments, including the referenced source water protection policy, during its review of the technical information associated with this taking. It was determined that the risk of adverse impacts from the taking is low. The application is for a renewal of the existing permit for the purpose of aggregate washing from a source pond, with no changes to the permitted water taking rates. Monitoring data collected at the site have not indicated any discernible impacts to surrounding groundwater levels. No impacts to nearby water supplies or municipal systems are anticipated.
With respect to low water response, the Ontario Low Water Response (OLWR) Program is intended to apply to regulated and non-regulated surface water users and employs a collaborative approach to manage surface waters during drought to avoid unnecessary environmental and economic impacts. The OLWR Program was not developed to apply to groundwater takings, as groundwater resources generally respond to drought on longer timescales as compared to surface water resources.
With respect to the term length of the permit, in determining the length of permit term and the associated permit conditions, the Ministry assesses a variety of risk factors pertaining to the surrounding environment and other users of a water resource. This assessment includes consideration of the nature of the taking, the hydrogeological setting, and the potential for impacts. The Ministry’s adaptive management approach, and the associated Director authority under the Ontario Water Resources Act, ensure that permits can be reviewed and amended as required at any time.
Ministry staff have determined that the potential impacts of this water taking are low, and that the conditions of the permit are sufficient to ensure that any potential effects can be identified and addressed through adaptive management, if necessary.
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.
135 St Clair Ave West
1st Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
How to Appeal
This instrument decision can be appealed. You have 15 days from June 29, 2026 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)
Cox Construction Limited
P.O. Box 427
Guelph,
ON
N1E 6Y9
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 for a renewal of Permit to Take Water No. 3713-C5BKY7 for the purpose of aggregate washing for Cox Construction Limited. Details of the water taking are as follows:
Permit type: renewal
Source name: Dugout Pond
- purpose: aggregate washing
- maximum rate per minute (litres): 4,164
- maximum number of hours of taking per day: 12
- maximum volume of taking per day (litres): 2,998,037
- maximum number of days of taking in a year: 228
- period of taking: April 1 to November 15 for 10 years
There are three 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 three 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.
135 St Clair Ave West
1st Floor
Toronto,
ON
M4V 1P5
Canada
Comment
Commenting is now closed.
This consultation was open from December 22, 2025
to January 21, 2026
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
1By mail
0