THE GRAND RIVER: DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS

Today's Waterloo Region Record has an article by Paige Desmond titled "Residents oppose rule change for gravel pit". This is the Jigs Hollow Pit owned by Preston Sand & Gravel. An agreement had been reached in 2013 between the Township of Woolwich and the gravel company through the Ontario Municipal Board. The agreement stipulated only above water table extraction. Allegedly higher groundwater levels found in 2014 have brought about an amendment application to permit below water table extraction. To date the Region of Waterloo has appropriately been against below water table extraction due to its potential and indeed likelihood to lessen groundwater quality. As we are a large area dependent upon groundwater for our drinking water this simply makes good sense. As it is Waterloo Region overall are forced to spend millions of dollars annually to treat both our ground and surface (Grand River) water prior to putting it into the distribution system. This is essentially a direct subsidy to polluters past and present in our Region.

There is a public information session from 4-7 pm. at the St. Jacobs Community centre at 31 Parkside Dr. in St. Jacobs this afternoon. Friends of the Winterbourne Valley will also host a parallel meeting downstairs at the centre at 5:45 pm.. Keep in mind that the last time around the old lame duck Council who had been kicked out in the October 2010 election gave last second approval to this pit. Then the new more progressive Council dug in their heels and insisted upon no below water table extraction. Now we are back to the likes of Murray Martin, Mark Bauman, and Sandy Shantz. My prediction is that those pro industry, pro environment via rhetoric only Councillors will be in favour of giving Preston Sand & Gravel what they want. The only hope for citizens is to raise a racket similar to the Breslau rebellion and to remind councillors of their antidemocratic stance last May when they got publicly hammered for trying to deny Delegations to Council on Chemtura and Ministry of the Environment matters.