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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Hi folks</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Just submitted this to the Record. If the Record doesn't pick it up I'll pitch it to the Chronicle next. <br></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br>Lulu <br>___________________________________________________________________________<br></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: bold;"><br></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: bold;">Quarries puts the Grand River and
Waterloo Moraine at Risk</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: bold;"><br></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Taxpayers along the Grand River
watershed are facing increased taxes and paying mult-millions to
protect wells and water resources but recently the Highland Companies
have submitted an application for a mega quarry in North Dufferin
County which seeks the right to use 600 million litres of water per
day. That volume is equal to 25% of the total daily water use for the
entire province of Ontario. This quarry is set to be built in the
headwaters for the Grand River and firms like this can acquire the
water taking permit for a pittance of the costs we taxpayers pay to
conserve it.<br><br>In reviewing the supporting documents for this
project, I have yet to see any reasonable data to prove this mega
quarry will not jeopardize the water needed to support the growing
water needs of downstream communities, industries and agricultural
sectors along the Grand River. This matter is cross jurisdictional
and will impact water quality, flow and flow rates heading to our
community and Lake Erie. The question must be asked, where is the
public dialogue to address this matter? Residents in Waterloo Region
deserve a say on this key issue. <br><br>Currently private industries
don't have the obligation to assess the cumulative impacts of lost
water volumes and water quality outside the scope of their localized
projects but clearly this matter will affects multiple
downstream communities. Currently there is no government agency
analyzing the potential downstream ecological or economic impacts of
this project. It's like analyzing the udder of a cow and creating a
plan to protect it, all the while expecting it to provide milk
regardless if the cow lives or dies. The risks of underestimating
this project's impacts on water systems are enormous.
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The International Joint Committee
released a report on Great Lakes Water Quality. The report states
Lake Erie is currently the "poster child" for
eutrophication. The experts from Canada and the US agree that the
toxic status of the 1970's has returned in spite of the many efforts
made restore the lake to good health. Meanwhile Waterloo Region
anticipated the need of a 1.2 Billion dollar pipeline to Erie to
provide for our future water needs but realistically, this lake may
not be drinkable in the future. We must prioritize the protection of
our existing water supplies as the better long term option. It's
safer, it's cheaper and it works. </p>
<p><br>The Waterloo Moraine is not made of water. It is made from a
unique lay out of sand, gravel and rocks that captures, holds and
transports water passing through it. If we augment it, we risk
floods, drought and contamination issues. If we protect it, we
benefit from a renewable localized natural water infrastructure
system that sustains fisheries, farmlands and communities while
offsetting flood risks. Currently there is no economic value given to
this natural system nor is there any reasonable measure of
legislation to protection it. The Source Water Protection Act does
not prohibit aggregate activity or regard it as a "risk" to
water systems and there are no provisions to protect primary recharge
areas outside of identified well head protection areas. <br><br>There
are some in position of power who view moraines as a cheap source of
easy to access aggregates and they prefer to keep it that way hedging
their bets on big city schemes and in my view it's not to hard to
envision destruction for profit scenarios by engineering firms who
get contract jobs to fix the issues they created. We have a long way
to go to prevent the exploitation of situations like this.
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In the meantime, I encourage all
citizens to write to your elected Minister of Provincial Parliament
to voice your concerns regarding the Highland Companies Quarry
application and tell your MPP that you as a citizen of Ontario demand
the Province of Ontario support a Waterloo Moraine Protection Act
which recognizes the Waterloo Moraine as a Terrestrial Natural
Heritage System that requires uniform protection across multiple
jurisdictions.
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<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Together we can make a difference. </p>
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