Drive-by tour sparks ARA committee outcry

Committee not responsible for Highland quarry plan

By Chris Halliday Jul 04, 2012 - 5:03 PM

It really is unfortunate people are mixing that up. Sylvia Jones, Dufferin-Caledon MPP, committee member People reviewing Ontarios Aggregate Resource Act (ARA) spent less than 30 minutes touring Melancthon last week, causing opponents of a proposed quarry to cry foul. A lengthier visit, however, wouldnt have had the most lasting impact, explained Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones. Whats going to make a difference is the passion and the concise presentation that people like (potato farmer) Dave Vander Zaag made, Jones, a member of the Standing Committee on General Government, said. That is what is going to make a difference. Last week, on June 27, members of the committee charged with reviewing the provinces ARA touched down in Orangeville. Before listening to more than four hours of ideas to strengthen the ARA, the committee announced its plan to visit The Highland Companies proposed quarry site in Melancthon later that evening. At that point, the crowd erupted in applause. Upon learning the committee only spent a few minutes in Melancthon, however, the situation has left a number of people disenfranchised with the process. When you look at the size of The Highland Companies application, this isnt a 15-minute drive-by deal, said Carl Cosack, chair of the North Dufferin Agricultural Community Taskforce (NDACT). Its such a lightening rod for issues, therefore, it comes up so often to illustrate what all is wrong with the current ARA.

Back in May, the all-party committee planned to host public hearings in Toronto exclusively. After news of that sparked public outcry, the committee expanded the list to include Orangeville, Kitchener-Waterloo, Manitoulin Island and Ottawa. The decision to tour the land surrounding Highlands proposed quarry took fold in a similar fashion, according to Jessica Spindler, legislative assistant for committee chair and Liberal MPP David Orazietti. Leading up to the hearing in Orangeville, Oraziettis office received numerous emails and phone calls urging the committee to visit Melancthon, so it obliged. Originally, there was no trip out to Melancthon planned, Spindler said. We didnt have anything arranged in advance, but they did decide to kind of drive by, take a few minutes to kind of survey the area from the side of the road. Although Vander Zaag invited the committee to tour his potato farm it was where Foodstock was held last October Jones said Orazietti declined. While Jones heard people showed up at Vander Zaags farm to welcome them, she isnt sure where the miscommunication arose, but did give Orazietti and the committee credit for initiating the tour. It could always be done differently, she said. Considering the time we had, and the opportunity, I have to give the chair and committee credit for saying, We will (tour Melancthon). Were up here anyway, well do this. The local MPP said people must be mindful the committee is charged with reviewing the ARA, and not Highlands application for a licence to mine 2,316 acres of land for limestone in Melancthon. She fears some people feel the review is an evaluation of the latter, which is far from the committees mandate. It is really unfortunate people are mixing that up, Jones said. (Melancthon) is very topical and timely for our community, but we arent the only community in Ontario thats dealing with aggregate resources and trying to work within the existing ARA. As Spindler reiterated, the committee cant make a determination on the proposed Melancthon quarry. Thats precisely the reason it originally didnt plan

to visit the site. Their investigation is to bring forward a set of proposals on the ARA to the MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources), and MNR could potentially use some of those recommendations to make changes, Spindler said. Since they were in the area, they did make that stop by, but the reason they didnt do an extensive tour is because thats not in their mandate. Opponents of Highlands plan havent fallen prey to the misconception, Cosack countered. He said NDACT understands the committee isnt here to halt Highlands proposal, yet urges the mega quarry should serve as an example of what the ARA, the new legislation, should not allow as a proposal. On several fronts, including the potential destruction of prime farmland, or Highlands plan to pump water in perpetuity, Cosack argued the proposal is an example of weaknesses contained in the current ARA. He also noted members of the all-party committee toured other sites with representatives from the Ontario Gravel Sand and Stone Association. If they attend tours guided by the aggregate industrys lobby group, why not gain an agricultural point of view too, Cosack questioned. Somebody from within our industry ought to be able to give you a tour of the other side, so you can weigh the input, he argued. It is time we put the best report out that we can.