[All] Fw: Concerns regarding The State of Aggregate Resources

Thu Apr 15 23:17:47 EDT 2010

--- On Thu, 4/15/10, Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com> wrote:

From: Louisette Lanteigne <butterflybluelu at rogers.com>
Subject: Concerns regarding The State of Aggregate Resources
To: peter at peterbraid.ca, Scarpaleggia.F at parl.gc.ca, Prentice.J at parl.gc.ca, elizabeth.witmer at pc.ola.org, cmitchell.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org, spupatello.mpp at liberal.ola.org, jwilkinson.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org, toby.barrett at pc.ola.org, hhampton-qp at ndp.on.ca, ernie.hardemanco at pc.ola.org, ahorwath-co at ndp.on.ca, lisa.macleod at pc.ola.org, rmarchese-co at ndp.on.ca, norm.millerco at pc.ola.org, pmiller-qp at ndp.on.ca, jerry.ouellette at pc.ola.org, peter.shurmanco at pc.ola.org, tabunsp-qp at ndp.on.ca, Paradis.C at parl.gc.ca, Flaherty.J at parl.gc.ca, Kent.P at parl.gc.ca, Goodyear.G at parl.gc.ca, Baird.J at parl.gc.ca, Ritz.G at parl.gc.ca, Ashfield.K at parl.gc.ca, Albrecht.H at parl.gc.ca, Calandra.P at parl.gc.ca, Tilson.D at parl.gc.ca, Layton.J at parl.gc.ca, Duceppe.G at parl.gc.ca, Ignatieff.M at parl.gc.ca
Cc: Sharon.Bailey at ontario.ca, jgerretsen.mpp at liberal.ola.org, ljeffrey.mpp.co at liberal.ola.org, HRussell at nrcan.gc.ca
Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010, 11:16 PM

Dear Ministers,

The State of the Aggregate Resource in Ontario Consolidated Report as shown on the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources website can be viewed here:

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Aggregates/2ColumnSubPage/286708.html

The report states in section 1.5 that aggregates are characterized as a non-renewable resource. The problem is, the report fails to value the fact that sediment composition performs the function of providing renewable water resources by capturing, retaining and transferring water. 

The report fails to accurately reflect the costs associated with the natural capital functions that aggregates provide. Natural capital functions include but are not limited to: 

groundwater and surface water resources 
flood control, storm water management
fisheries, wetlands, ecosystems and habitats
municipal groundwater and well systems
dilutes contaminates, waste materials and effluent
provides drinking water
provides water for putting out fires
support farmlands and agricultural industries, 
supports industry, food and beverage manufacturing etc.
controlls flow and flow rates to the Great Lakes which is vital to protect shipping routes, port cities etc.

The value given to aggregates in this current report are only in respect to how these sediments can be extracted and utilized elsewhere which undervalues the enormous economic importance of the resource.

 I do not believe that we as a province or a nation have the right to quantify the value of aggregates independent of the value of water or the without consideration of the criteria outlined in the Great Lakes Charter Agreement which is designed to protect and preserve the water of the Great Lakes Basin. 

In my view, this report reflects short-sighted economic interests and at worse, grossly negligent data which fails to quantify the true economic worth of the resource. 

For example, how much is the worth of the Waterloo Moraine  towards the economy of Ontario or Canada ? Can we not utilize the assessment of aggregates as a means to understand the economic values of such systems?  Moraine systems across our nation are basically aggregate resources and we must set in meaningful legislation to assure that their function and value is adequately assessed.

This data should be scrutinized by concerned citizens perhaps by way of the Environmental Bill of Rights process. All supporting reports should be published openly on the MNR website. I request copies of the 6 "series of papers"  that have supported this consolidated report in order to understand how this data came to be. 

I request that provincial and federal leaders pursue source water protection measures that include the protection and preservation of aggregate resources in order to sustain and support Canadian water resources for the long term. 

Thank you kindly for your time.

Louisette Lanteigne
700 Star Flower Ave.
Waterloo Ontario
N2V 2L2
519-885-7619
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