Tiny Township has no desire to be caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to defending resident concerns over possible changes to the Aggregate Resources Act.
During a recent regular meeting of council, a letter from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) was addressed due to its proposed alteration to Ontario Regulation 244/97 under the Act, which could allow for a list of changes to existing pit and quarry site plans without needing ministry approval.
The self-filing changes, as they are called, included five additional site plan changes to be added to the small list of smaller, routine site plan changes, provided they satisfy eligibility requirements and certain conditions.
Those additions would include: the adding or changing of site access with road authority approval; and the enabling recyclable aggregate material (such as asphalt, concrete and more) to be imported to aggregate sites.
Additionally, the adding, changing, or removal of: portable processing equipment (for crushing or screening); portable concrete or asphalt plants where required for public authority projects; and above-ground fuel storage.
Public works director Tim Leitch shared staff concerns during the recent regular meeting of council, as the July 13 deadline to provide feedback would take place before council could reconvene.
“The main concern we saw when receiving this,” Leitch explained, “we have existing agreements with our current pits that we have contained within Tiny. As everybody is aware, we’ve spent a lot of time and effort to make sure these agreements that we have are very thorough and protect the best interests of the township, while at the same time, permitting the use and the importance of aggregate within our industries.”
A 2022 report stated that the Township of Tiny had nine properties classified and assessed as gravel pit/quarry/sand pits by MPAC. The include two aggregate wash water facilities: Teedon Pit owned by Dufferin Aggregates at 40 Darby Rd., and Waverley Pit No. 2 owned by Sarjeant Company Ltd at 1379 Baseline Rd. S.
Tiny was also the proposed location for Site 41, a controversial landfill at Concession 2 near Dawsons Sdrd., which was defeated in 2009 after community backlash aimed to protect water in the area.
Leitch told council that staff felt it was important to keep involved, “so that we can ensure that we’re protecting things like our aquifer, et cetera, that we worked so hard to make sure were in place.”
Coun. Steffen Walma, a returning council member from the previous term, praised Leitch’s efforts.
“Having gone through part of the process with Teedon Pit recently,” said Walma, “I just wanted to reiterate that some of the changes that they are proposing are things that not only have we battled for, but the public was very adamant for as well.
“Removing of the recycling – specifically the asphalt – component, that was one of the first things we went to the table for. So these are not small changes, and we definitely need to bring our best foot forward,” Walma noted.
Leitch responded by putting forth the question being asked by the municipality to the MNRF: “Does this override the current agreements that we have in place?” He added if so then it “would be a major concern”.
Also showing support was Deputy Mayor Sean Miskimins, who supported protection of the aquifer complex, labelled as “cleaner than ancient arctic ice” by groundwater scientists in 2021 which initiated a groundwater study on the claim.
Mayor Dave Evans stated that he wanted the agreements in place to remain in effect and unchanged.
“That to me is just a non-negotiable point,” Evans said.
“I know we’re getting this (MNRF request) on an Ontario basis and they’re looking to do it overall, but we spent an awful lot of time and money… and this council is definitely behind anything we can do (to keep and further monitor) those agreements in place.”
The MNRF letter for streamlining of approvals under the ARA and supporting policy can be viewed within the agenda page located on the Tiny Township website.
Information on gravel pit operations in the French’s Hill area of Tiny, including a timeline of the Teedon Pit and Waverley Pit No. 2, can be located on the news section of the township website.
Archives of council meetings are available to view on Tiny Township’s YouTube channel.
