[All] Fw: Message from the Minister

[Louisette Lanteigne]

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: MIN Feedback (MNR) <minister.mnr at ontario.ca>
To: butterflybluelu at rogers.com
Sent: Thu, April 21, 2011 12:23:50 PM
Subject: Message from the Minister

 
MNR4046MC-2011-725
 
April 21, 2011
 
butterflybluelu at rogers.com
 
Thank you for your letters to the Honourable Linda Jeffrey, Minister of Natural 
Resources, regarding an Aggregate Resources Act quarry licence application made 
by the Highland Companies in the Township   of Melancthon and other 
water-related issues.  I am pleased to respond.
 
As you may recall from my e-mail response to you of April 6, 2011, the Highland 
Companies’ application is currently under review by various ministries, agencies 
and the general public.  As part of this review, the proponent held a public 
open house on April 12, 2011 in Horning’s Mills.  If you were not able to 
attend, you can view a slide show of the open house on the Highland  website at 
www.highlandcompanies.ca.
 
Also, the Highland Companies’ proposal was posted on the Environmental Registry 
on March 11, 2011, for a 46-day public review and comment period.  I encourage 
you to submit your comments by April 26, 2011, the due date.  You can view the 
notice and make comments by visiting www.ontario.ca/environmentalregistry and 
search under instrument # 011-2864. 
 
In the event that objections raised during the review period of the Highland 
Companies quarry application are not resolved to the satisfaction of the 
objector(s), the application will be forwarded to the Ontario Municipal Board 
(OMB) for a hearing.
 
In her response to you of December 14, 2010, Minister Jeffrey indicated that in 
your area municipal drinking water is the responsibility of the Regional 
Municipality of Waterloo (RMOW).  I encourage you to discuss your concerns with 
the RMOW — Transportation and Environmental Services — Water Services 
Department, at (519) 575-4426.  

 
The Ministry of the Environment (MOE) is leading Source Water Protection 
planning under the Clean Water Act.  This planning is currently underway and it 
will address water quality and quantity issues as they relate to municipal 
drinking water supplies.  The local source protection authority is the Grand 
River Conservation Authority (GRCA).  If you have specific concerns about the 
protection of drinking water in Waterloo Region that you think should be 
considered through the Source Water Protection planning process, please contact 
Martin Keller, Source Protection Program Manager at the GRCA, at 519-621-2763, 
extension 2303.
 
 
Regarding the application for review (File No. R2006007) of the Waterloo 
Moraine, I am reiterating Minister Jeffrey’s response of December 14, 2010, that 
the Ministry of Natural Resources has considered the application and has 
determined that the public interest does not warrant a ministry review of the 
matters raised in the application.  MOE has undertaken the Environmental Bill of 
Rights Review, which provides an overview of the current legislation that 
applies to the protection of water resources on the moraine. The review 
concluded that new provincial policy or legislation is not required to protect 
the functions of the Waterloo Moraine at this time.  I note that you have also 
addressed your concerns to the Honourable John Wilkinson, Minister of the 
Environment.  I trust that his ministry will respond to your concerns.
 
I am aware that the Official Plan for the Regional Municipality of Waterloo has 
been referred to the OMB regarding aggregate extraction policies.  As a result, 
I am not in a position to comment on this issue.
 
National Water Policy is a federal responsibility.  You can visit the 
Environment Canada website at 
www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=en&n=D11549FA-1 for information or 
contact the Honourable Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment, at the House of 
Commons, Ottawa ,  Ontario   K1A 0A6  or Kent.P at parl.gc.ca.  

 
Again, thank you for writing.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
Original signed by
 
David de Launay
Assistant Deputy Minister
Regional Operations Division
 
c:         The Ministry of the Environment, Correspondence Unit
            Minister’s Office
 
 
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