GRAVEL PITS IN ONTARIO

For decades disputes over new gravel pits were settled by the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). They had a hard earned reputation as being biased and pro-developers i.e. gravel pit owners and operators. It was extremely rare for a gravel pit to be denied outright. They were always approved albeit with modifications, amendments etc. that allegedly responded to and answered the concerns of nearby residents. In actual fact the process was a sham and that's exactly how the province wanted it. The gravel industry are wealthy and powerful and through their association flex their political muscles when they see fit.

A few years back the governing Liberals and Kathleen Wynne were vulnerable. They talked about reforming the OMB. Lo and behold if there weren't a couple of proposed gravel pits scrapped by the OMB namely one in Puslinch and one just outside Conestogo (the Hunder Pit). Sure enough the OMB was replaced by LPAT, the Local Planning Area Tribunal. The Liberals got bounced electorally anyways and now we will see if LPAT are the real deal or not. So far I think it is too soon to tell.