Queen’s Park Rally to Save the World’s Purest Water

What: a rally to protect the world’s purest scientifically tested water. A gravel mining operation in North Simcoe has a permit to draw millions of litres of groundwater daily just to wash gravel. A second operation is seeking a similar permit. Both operations sit above an aquifer containing the world’s purest, scientifically tested water. Once compromised, this unique resource will be lost forever.

The rally organizers are not opposed to gravel mining. We just want the province to temporarily suspend these permits until we understand how gravel mining could affect the world’s purest water. A group of internationally recognized scientists is proposing a five-year study into how the natural filtering system above the aquifer works. This system includes the glacial gravel deposits now being mined.

Who: Mike Balkwill, Wellington Water Watchers & RGMC • Mike Shreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario • Sandy Shaw, MPP, Hamilton West–Ancaster–Dundas and NDP Environment Critic • Dr. Mike Powell, geologist and Adjunct Professor, University of Alberta Department of Renewable Resources • William Shotyk, Professor and Bocock Chair for Agriculture and the Environment, • Gib Wishart, Tiny Township Councillor, • Mark Calzavara, Council of Canadians

When: 11:30 am-1:30 pm, Tuesday, March 22.

Where: Queen’s Park, 111 Wellesley St., Toronto, ON M7A 1A2

For more information, contact Tara Marshall, bgw.assoc.taram@gmail.com, 416 998 0768.

About the organizers

Save our Water Tiny is a diverse group of grassroots organizations working to protect our water. The Alliston Aquifer supplies pure water for much of North Simcoe, and is threatened by two gravel mining operations. The aquifer is within the territory of the Anishinaabe, who have not consented to the removal of gravel here.