[All] Concerns regarding The State of Aggregate Resources

Tue May 4 21:56:13 EDT 2010

Hi folks

Below is an email from Ecojustice that I received today in regards to aggregates. They're giving us the heads up to watch the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing website for data regarding the update of the Provincial Policy Statement, particularly in regards to aggregates. Please forward to gravel watch and others. 

I've filed a freedom of information request to secure the six papers that formed the MNR's latest report regarding the state of aggregate resources in Ontario. 

Also, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario gave serious criticism to the Ontario Legislature in regards to reducing energy use and carbon emissions. To view the reports and related data visit here:

http://www.eco.on.ca/eng/index.php/pubs/cdm-09-v1.php#recoms

Lulu :0)

--- On Tue, 5/4/10, Natalie Jacyk <article1 at ecojustice.ca> wrote:

From: Natalie Jacyk <article1 at ecojustice.ca>
Subject: RE: Concerns regarding The State of Aggregate Resources
To: butterflybluelu at rogers.com
Date: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 4:49 PM

Dear Ms. Lanteigne,

Thank you for your recent e-mail alerting us of the recent report on aggregates issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources. We would also encourage you to monitor the website of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for its upcoming review of the Provincial Policy Statement, which will undoubtedly be tackling a similar issue related to the classification of aggregate resources.

We appreciate your continued support.

Sincerely, 

Natalie Jacyk
Student-at-law
Ecojustice (formerly Sierra Legal Defence Fund)
900 - 30 St. Patrick Street Toronto ON M5T 3A3  
Telephone: (416) 368-7533 Ext. 32
article1 at ecojustice.ca

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From: Louisette Lanteigne [mailto: butterflybluelu at rogers.com ] 
Sent: April 15, 2010 11:29 PM
To: Mark Calzavara; xmarc at region.waterloo.on.ca; bdowling at faithfm.org; jfoulds at environmentaldefence.ca; info at perlofburlington.org; holt at uwaterloo.ca; info at stormcoalition.org; toronto at ecojustice.ca; cwaffle at cela.ca
Subject: Fw: Concerns regarding The State of Aggregate Resources

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

From: Louisette Lanteigne < butterflybluelu at rogers.com >
Subject: Fw: Concerns regarding The State of Aggregate Resources
To: all at gren.ca
Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010, 11:17 PM

--- 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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