[All] Fwd: " Quarry Threatens Precious Ontario Farmland"

[randybmclean at rogers.com]

$$$

 

This undertaking will take money and lawyers. So everyone needs to test
their principals and put up funds.  Letters to bought off politicians are
not going to do anything but bring back lip service.  This project needs to
incorporate NOW and start raising funds.  

 

Contact Graham Flint of FORCE to find out how.

 

From: all-bounces at gren.ca [mailto:all-bounces at gren.ca] On Behalf Of Norah &
Richard
Sent: April-10-11 10:53 PM
To: gren
Subject: [All] Fwd: " Quarry Threatens Precious Ontario Farmland"

 

		
		
		
		







CoC Logo
BilRedBlk.tif
Hello Folks, 


This quarry is the same one that was discussed at the 'Growth, Gravel and
Groundwater' panel we hosted at Harcourt Church last June when John Jackson
spoke also. 
 The final permit for this quarry is now before the government. It is needed
by the Boston hedge fund company to proceed. Last week two of the local
members attended the presentation by the corporation in Shelburne and are
appalled. Our regional CoC representative Mark Calzavara attended also.
Guelph area has always supported water protection. So please contact your
water watcher friends and get their help as soon as possible.   


Thanks so much . Norah Chaloner ( chair for Guelph Chapter) 

Please, if you can possibly write a letter, please do. Sign each copy
separately and mail out to the addresses provided. Signed copies to our MPs
and MPPs as well would be helpful.  It will take mass commenting to stop
this. Details to include are in the attachment. It need not be long. 
This enormous open pit mine has been proposed in Melancthon township on
Highway 124 just north of Shelburne. The Highland Companies (owned by a
Boston hedge fund) has filed an application for a 2,400-acre aggregate mine-
it would be the largest quarry in Ontario and the second largest in North
America.  This is the "rooftop of Ontario" and the Niagara Escarpment runs
along its border.  The Council of Canadians has been working with local
groups to help stop this open pit mine from being created because of the
extraordinary impacts it will have on the community, the watersheds,
Ontario's food supply and on the drinking water of more than one million
people which originates in this area. 

Join this fight by supporting our allies and have your voice heard by
writing a letter objecting to this proposal - THE DEADLINE IS APRIL 18TH,
PLEASE ACT NOW!

FOOD and WATER vs. PROFIT

The Highlands company started buying farmland in Melancthon several years
ago saying they wanted to become the province's largest potato growing
operation- which made sense to local farmers as the area is well known for
its particularly high quality soil and micro-climate.  About one quarter of
all the potatoes eaten in the GTA come from there.  After many local farmers
had sold their farms -some of which had been in the family for generations-
the real motives of the company became apparent.  Under that rich and rare
soil is a fortune in high quality limestone worth upwards of eight billion
dollars. The company now owns around 8000 acres of land and has applied for
permission to mine 2400 acres which would make it the second largest quarry
in North America. There is little doubt that they intend to excavate the
entire 8000+ acres. To do so, Highland will strip off all that precious soil
then blast their way down more than  200 feet BELOW the water table. 

>From the area around the proposed mine site spring the headwaters of river
systems that are important drinking water sources for more than one million
people downstream.  The Nottawasaga River, the Grand River and  the Pine
River systems will all be threatened by the mine's 600 million litre per day
de-watering pumps.  Massive amounts of toxic demolition explosives will be
used to smash the limestone and hundreds of dump trucks per hour will enter
and leave the site- 24 hours a day, 360 days per year.  The company rightly
points out that this is all allowable under Ontario's aggregate extraction
laws but the problem is that those laws couldn't be more favourable to the
industry or more rigged against communities that want to protect their
water.

PLEASE GET INVOLVED

Support our allies: We have been working with the North Dufferin
Agricultural & Community Taskforce (NDACT) and the Citizen's Alliance for a
Sustainable Environment (CAUSE)  and we ask you to consider supporting them
as well.  Please visit their websites:  www.ndact.com and
www.citizensalliance.ca 

Write a letter of objection:

>From the NDACT newsletter (attached) here are the details for writing
letters of objection:

 

"The process for objecting is very legislated, there are clear time frames
which must be followed in order to have your objection count. Letters of
objection are critical."

Send the same letter to both addresses below with an original
signature-anyone in your household, over the age of 16 can object-all
letters will form part of the public record and be public information.
Letters must be signed and must also contain your return mailing address
including fire number, box and/or RR# (if applicable) 

Your letter must be sent to BOTH: Ministry of Natural Resources, 2284
Nursery Road, Midhurst Ontario LOL 1X0 AND The Highland Companies, Box 377,
Shelburne, ON L0N 1S0 

Letters must be received by both the MNR and Highlands by April 26, 2011.
Easter weekend is on April 22- 25  so please put your letter in the mail by
April 18, 2011




Or April 18, 2011, you can drop your letters off at the Township of
Melancthon office (8:30 - 4:30) 157101 Highway # 10, Melancthon, ON in
sealed envelopes addressed to BOTH Highlands and  the Ministry of Natural
Resources. NDACT will arrange for pickup and delivery on or before April 26.

 

The Highland Companies are required to hold a public meeting under the
Aggregate Resources Act. Please attend this meeting if you can:

 

Highlands Public Meeting 

April 12, 2011

Hornings Mills Hall 

14 Mill St, 

Hornings Mills 

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm 

(see the attached newsletter for more details)

If you have any questions about the public meeting or the quarry proposal,
contact Mark Calzavara at mcalzavara at canadians.org or 1-800-208-7156.

Thank you very much, and consider forwarding this notice on to your friends
and family in the area.  Your attention and support will make a difference
in this campaign.

CoC Logo
BilRedBlk.tif

 

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