Residents gear–up for battle against proposed gravel pit

By Richard Blanchard New Tecumseth News

Opposition to a proposed gravel pit in Adjala-Tosorontio continues to grow.
Nearly 100 people turned out Sunday afternoon for two public information sessions on problems with the project.
The Powerpoint presentations presented from Janet Budgell and Ward 3 councillor Bob Meadows highlighted the potential impact of the pit on local water supply, highway traffic, wild life and rivers.
And those in attendance were asked to write letters commenting on the project to the applicant, Nelson Aggregates, and the Ministry of Natural Resources which will decide on the application for the site, located at the corner of the 5th sideroad and County Road 13 of former Tosorontio.
Budgell emphasized the need for written comments to be sent to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Nelson Aggregates before a March 9 deadline. Copies of the letters must be sent or emailed to both the applicant, Nelson Aggregates, and the Ministry of Natural Resources office in Midhurst. Anyone in Ontario can comment on the project.
Budgell told the audience that there it wasn’t particularly obvious what benefits would be received by the municipality if the pit was approved.
“Maybe a $1,000 per year in additional taxes,” she said.
She contrasted this against the increased impact on all roads, local, municipal and provincial, which will be used to transport the grave, additional noise, dust, and impact on several endangered bird species if the pit was allowed to open.
The pit is estimated to contain 4.5 million tons of aggregate and the application would allow the company to take upwards of a million tons of aggregate per year.
Budgell said that if this maximum amount of aggregate of million tones was removed that there be 42 trucks leaving the property ever hour.
Councillor Bob Meadows said that he was particularly concerned with part of the part of the proposal that would allow the importation of used asphalt and concrete to the site at a crushing plant.
“We have no idea about whether this material might be contaminated,” he said. Meadows also raised concerns about the impact of the washing of aggregate on the site with the potential of run-off effecting the neighbouring Tosorontio stream and Boyne River and on local wells.
“We already have heard from the Beausoleil First Nation who are concerned about the potential impact of this project on the Nottawasaga River and Georgian Bay,” said Budgell.
The decision by Adjala-Tosorontio council not to support the sending of a letter expressing concern about the project to the Ministry of Natural Resources before March 9 also sparked concerns at the meeting.
A motion, moved by Meadows, was defeated by a margin of three to three, at the council meeting in March. Councillors Floyd Pinto, Sam Keenan supported Meadows while Mayor Mary Small Brett, deputy mayor Doug Little and councillor Scott Anderson voted against the motion.
Everett councillor Dave Rose, who had worked as a sub-contractor for the applicant, said that he ended his business relationship with the company and wanted to see another vote on the matter.
The audience urged the councillors in attendance to hold a special meeting on the matter before the March 9 deadline. All ward councillors were in attendance. Mayor Small Brett and deputy mayor Little were not in attendance.
The property is not currently zoned for aggregate extraction which is required even if the Ministry of Natural Resources approves the taking of aggregate from the property.
A public meeting would have to be held after an application is submitted to the township for rezoning.
Comments on the proposal must be sent to both the applicant: Nelson Aggregate Company, 2433 No. 2 Sideroad, P.O. Box 1070, Burlington, Ont., L7P 0G8, Attention Steven Drew. Nelson’s email address is, steve.drew@nelsonaggregate.com
And to the Ministry of Natural Resources Midhurst District Office, 2284 Nursery Road, Midhurst, Ont. L0L 1X0. The letters must be addressed to the attention of Brent Armstrong. The email address for the MNR is midhurstagg@ontario.ca