EXCELLENT GRAVEL PIT ARTICLE IN TODAY"S RECORD

The title of the article written by Leah Gerber is "Where is our countryside?". That is a quote from Sue Foxton, mayor of North Dumfries in Waterloo Region. She and numerous others, including hydrogeologists Emil Frind and Michael Frind, have pointed out the existing plethora of stockpiled, licensed aggregate sites sitting empty and idle. Despite the industry's claims of constantly needing new gravel pits, the reality is that the demand for gravel currently and in the past is far below the capacity of existing licensed pits much less future new proposed pits. In fact of the six gravel pits near the proposed Hallman Pit in Wilmot Towwnship (just off Huron Rd.) only one is consistently active. Another has been licensed for gravel extraction for thirty years and has not had a single ton of gravel extracted. This is the reality of proposed gravel pits in Waterloo Region and Ontario. It's more about beating the competitors to the sources of future gravel (years to decades down the road) than to any current or immediate future need for them. In fact the Ontario Ministry of Resources and Forestry specifically refuse to allow market need to even be part of the discussion. The Province of Ontario have long been in bed with the aggregate industry which may reflect the industry's support for our two largest political parties. Afterall donations would dry up if the donating parties didn't feel that they were getting their money's worth. ............................................................................................................................................... The Frind's believe that sunset clauses need to be included with aggregate licenses. In other words a pit operator/owner requesting an aggregate license must commit to removing the gravel and rehabillatating the site within a reasonable time length. That could be ten or fifteen years depending upon the amount of gravel available. Both Woolwich Township and the Region of Waterloo have supported the idea of sunset clauses along with other restrictions such as on below water table extraction. So far our corrupt provincial politicians remain firmly in bed with the money holders.