Foodstock Call to Action
Dearest Friends in Arms, As you know, back on September 1st the government promised that they would undertake a review of the
Aggregate Resources Act.
We have consistently attempted to get information on the process and
when it would start, and just found out that the review will start in
Toronto on Monday, May 7, 2012. Not only is the
hearing taking place in
Toronto (a place from which no
aggregate is extracted), it is also taking place during
prime planting season
(virtually omitting the participation of farmers and others whose
livelihoods depend on the preservation of farmland). It feels very
tricky and we suspect that it is. The government has set aside just 4
short sessions to gather public input and we'd like to create a
groundswell of participation to jam these sessions (there are currently
only 12 hours allocated to public comment) so that they have to extend
and expand the hearing. This is our chance to be heard and to share
input on the future of how aggregate is extracted in this province.
People wanting to voice their concerns have been asked to contact Sylvia
Przezdziecki and Tamara Pomanski (their email addresses and a sample
note are below).
Please consider taking the time to write to
them to request a chance to speak, or to voice your concerns about the
destruction of farmland for aggregate. Please also consider sending
this email along to your friends--our hope is to extend the hearing and
to prove to the government that we can't be caught unprepared.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” —
Edmund Burke
Sincerely,
Michael Stadtlander, President
Canadian Chefs' Congress and on behalf of the Foodstock Committee members
Sample email
Subject: Public Participation: Aggregate Resources Act
To:
sylwia_przezdziecki@ontla.ola.org,
tamara_pomanski@ontla.ola.org
Dear Sylvia and Tamara,
I am an Ontario resident and taxpayer. I ask that the Government of
Ontario, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Standing Committee
established to review the Aggregate Resources Act (ARA) amend the ARA to
address the following values:
1. Make conservation of aggregate, a non-renewable resource, a priority
over approval of new extraction sites. Conservation can occur through
aggregate recycling and use of alternative materials.
2. Reserve virgin aggregate, a non-renewable resource, for use within Canada.
3. Prohibit aggregate extraction below the water table without a full
Environmental Assessment and full understanding of the impact on all
areas, near and far.
4. Prohibit aggregate extraction below the water table in drinking water source areas.
5. Develop a process and guidelines for identifying and designating new
Specialty Crop Areas to safeguard unique agricultural land
resources. Prohibit aggregate extraction in Specialty Crop Areas.
6. Conduct a thorough study of all existing aggregate reserves
in Ontario. We cannot know what we need until we know what we have.
7. Develop an “Aggregate Master Plan” and disallow new aggregate mining
licenses within the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area, Oak Ridges Moraine and
Green Belt until the “Aggregate Master Plan” has been approved by the
province.
8. Provide an assessment of the cumulative affects (dust, noise, air
quality, traffic emissions; effects on water) of the “Aggregate Master
Plan” on Ontario residents by district.
9. Require that new quarry proposals demonstrate the need for
additional aggregate resource extraction in meeting the demands of
the Ontario market.
10. Mandate that an Environmental Assessment occur for all new or expanding aggregate operations.
11. Realign the cost of virgin aggregate to reflect
reality. Economically, aggregate is a low-priced, heavy-weight
commodity that takes the bulk of its cost from transportation. Today,
however, the price of virgin aggregate must include the activism
necessary by residents to fight for their best interest despite the
elected and public institutions designed to represent and protect the
public interest. As well, the cost must encompass the environmental
cost on residents. In other words the market cost for virgin aggregate
is unrealistically cheap. Create a management system that works for
residents and price the product accordingly.
12. Address what will happen to the operators of small aggregate
resources if a mega-quarry becomes the sanctioned approach. What will
small operators do when they are subjected to the monopolistic power of
the goliath-like mega-quarry?
Until such time as the above noted issues are sufficiently addressed, I
do not consider the ARA an up-to-date and relevant piece of legislation.
Sincerely,
