Latest News
- Fri. Jun. 7, 2013
Flamborough Review
FORCE recipient of Environmentalist of the Year award - Wed., Apr. 24, 2013
Hamilton Spectator
Mahoney: Quarry foes set to celebrate holding their ground - Mon., Apr. 8, 2013
Flamborough Review
Quarry battle over opponents say - Wed.,Mar. 27, 2013
Flamborough Review
FORCE ready to celebrate quarry victory - Thurs., Mar. 14, 2013
Flamborough Review
My View: The community that could
News Archives
Thursday, February 26, 2009 - Halton Compass
Gravel Watch says no quarry application turned down since 2001
Flamborough Councillor Margaret McCarthy will appeal directly to Premier Dalton McGuinty for a more stringent application process after discovering the Ministry of natural Resources has not turned down a quarry application since 2001.
Research provided to her by Mariel Jensen of Gravel Watch Ontario turned up evidence that the only way an application isn't passed through the MNR is if the applicant themselves withdraws the application.
Read the Full Article (241 KB)
Thursday, February 19, 2009 - Halton Compass
Councillor turns to ECO and Gravel Watch for statistics
Flamborough Councillor Margaret McCart is worried that the St Marys' quarry application, recently sent back to the company by the Ministry of Natural Resources as 'incomplete', will find its way back to the MNR soon enough.
Read the Full Article (451 KB)
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - Ontario Farmer
Group wants quarry permit put on hold
A grassroots group fighting a bid by St Marys Cement for a license to install a limestone quarry in a farming area north of Carlisle has taken its case to Natural Resources Minister Donna Cansfield.
Read the Full Article (786 KB)
Friday, February 13, 2009 - Flamborough Review - Ministry deems St. Marys applicaton incomplete
On Monday, just two days before the MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources) was scheduled to end its 20-day review period of a quarry licence application by St. Marys Cement (SMC), the ministry informed the aggregate company that its application is incomplete.
"I've asked St. Marys to provide clarification on some points and make minor revisions to the site plan," said Diane Schwier, aggregate technical specialist with the district MNR office in Guelph.
Read the Full Article (86 KB)
Friday, February 13, 2009 - Flamborough Review - Motion will put city on record
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) this week notified St. Marys that their application for an Aggregate licence is incomplete.
As yet, we do not know which items in the application were deemed incomplete. However, we do know that St. Marys has been requested to make some "minor changes to the site plans, and to provide clarification on a few points."
Read the Full Article (99 KB)
Thursday, February 12, 2009 - Halton Compass - MNR bounces back St Marys appication
Flamborough Councillor Margaret McCart has confirmed the Ministry of Natural Resources has bounced back St Mary's quarry application, deeming it "incomplete".
Read the Full Article (267 KB)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - Ontario Farmer - Aggregate firm accused of end-run
An aggregetes company is raising the ire of farmers and residents over its decision to refuse a Minisistry of the Environment order to repeat deficient water tests, and proceed instead to an application to open a quarry in an agricultural area north of the village of Carlisle.
Read the Full Article (100 KB)
Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - Hamilton Spectator - MNR finds quarry application incomplete
St. Marys Cement's application for a large limestone quarry on Concession 11 East north of Carlisle has been deemed incomplete by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.
Diane Schwier, a ministry aggregate technical specialist, said yesterday she had asked the company for minor changes to
its site plans and "I have also requested clarification on a few points.
Read the Full Article (30 KB)
Friday, February 6, 2009 - The ARA (Aggregate Resources Act) License Application Process - A Step by Step Guide to the Process
The Aggregate Resources Act (ARA) license application process is proponent (St Marys Cement) driven. It consists of 6 key steps:
- Preparation / Pre-consultation
- Submission / Compliance
- Notification / Circulation
- Consultation
- Resolution of Objections
- Decision
Step 1 - Preparation / Pre-consultation
St Marys Cement prepared materials and reports for its application. Typically the proponent documents the meetings, open houses, and public information centres that it has held as pre-consultation with agencies and stakeholders.
Step 2 - Submission / Compliance
On January 22nd, 2009, St Marys Cement submitted a formal ARA application to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).
MNR has 20 days to review the application for its compliance under the ARA.
An application that is found to be incomplete or non-compliant will be returned to St Marys Cement. The applicant can then resubmit.
If the application is determined to be complete and compliant, St Marys Cement will be authorized to begin a notification / consultation process. This process has another set of timelines document below.
A complete and compliant application decision will also mean that MNR will post a notice on the Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) registry.
The EBR notice about the St Marys Cement application will be posted for 30 days. The notice will tell us:
- where we can find the details about the proposal
- how and where we can send our comments
- the deadline for having our comments considered
Implications for our communities -
Watch e-mail and visit this web-site regularly for recommendations on how to respond to the Environmental Registry posting.
Step 3 - Notification / Circulation and Step 4 - Consultation
Once the application has been determined to be complete and compliant, St Marys Cement will decide when to begin steps 3 and 4. There is a time limit on this part of the process once it begins, but it is proponent driven. St Marys Cement chooses when these steps begin.
A 45 day notification and consultation period begins when St Marys Cement publishes a copy of the Notice of Application for Licence and a Notice of Information Session in local papers.
- Once public notice has been issued, the clock starts ticking. St Marys Cement has two years to complete the process. If the application has not been completed within 2 years, with the required information sent to MNR, the application is deemed to be withdrawn and all application documentation will be returned.
At the same time as the notice appears in the local newspapers, public notice must also be given
- by written notice to landowners with 120 metres of the proposed site, and
- by signage posted on the boundary of the site which is maintained for the 45 day notification period.
As well, on or before the newspaper notice, St Marys Cement must provide a complete application package to a number of agencies (including the local MNR office, the City of Hamilton, Conservation Halton, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Environment) and other stakeholders.
During the 45 day period, St Marys Cement is required to host a public information session outlining all details of the proposal.
- The community must receive 20 days notice of the information session from the time the newspaper notice was published,
- The community must have 10 days to comment after the information session, up to the 45th day from the initial notification posting.
- This timeline means the public information session must be held between days 20 and 35 of the notification period.
Objections to the application, whether they come from individuals or government and similar agencies, must be provided in writing to St Marys Cement and the District Manager of the MNR within the 45 day notification period. Objections will not be accepted after the 45th day.
Implications for our communities-
Be ready to attend the public meeting. Gather your family, friends, and neighbours to attend.Watch e-mail and check this web-site for sample responses.
Register your objection and the reasons why in writing to St Marys Cement and the District Manager of the MNR as quickly as possible after the meeting and before day 45. Sample responses and contact information will be provided for everyone.
NOTE: Comments submitted via the EBR and objections made via the consultation process feed two different provincial processes. Both are critical and both must be done.
Step 5 - Resolution of Objections
During this phase, which can last up to 2 years after the public notice, St Marys Cement will attempt to resolve all objections to its proposal.
If objections are resolved, St Marys Cement is required
- to amend the application, site plans, or reports in consultation with MNR to reflect the resolution of the objections,
- to obtain written confirmation (letter of withdrawal) from all objectors that their objections have been addressed, and
- to submit documentation to the MNR.
If objections are not resolved,
- St Marys Cement is required to submit to MNR and the remaining objectors
- The list of unresolved objections
- documentation of attempts to resolve objections
- St Marys Cement recommendations for resolving the objections
- Notice of a 20 day response period by the objectors to the company's recommendations.
- Within 20 days of receiving the information from St Marys Cement, the objectors must submit to MNR and St Marys Cement their recommendations for resolving the objections. If the objectors do not respond within 20 days, their objections are considered to be void and no longer under consideration.
- St Marys Cement will then submit documentation to MNR as its final submission. This submission must occur within 2 years of the public notification date or the application is considered withdrawn and all documents are returned to the company.
Implications for our communities -
Be ready to respond to St Marys recommendations within the 20 day notice period. Sample responses and contact information will be provided for everyone to use.
Step 6 - Decision
Once MNR has received the final submission from St Marys Cement, prior to the 2 year process deadline, the material will be evaluated. Within 30 days of receiving the material, MNR staff will make a recommendation to the Minister. The recommendation may be to refer outstanding objections to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) or to the Consolidated Hearings Board (joint board of the OMB and the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT)), to refuse the license, or to grant the license with conditions.
More information on this part of the process and possible subsequent appeals will be shared as we get closer to this stage.
Implications for our communities -
Watch e-mail and this web-site for recommendations.
NOTE: At the same time as the ARA process is occurring, the City of Hamilton and area municipalities will continue to be looking at St Marys Cement's applications for Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendments. Information on this process including the dates and time for public meetings and opportunities to raise objections through this process will continue to be provided. Click here for a diagram of how the City of Hamilton believes these two processes will mesh together.
For more details about the ARA process, please see the Aggregate Resources of Ontario Provincial Standards.
View a diagram of the 6 Step ARA (Aggregate Resource Act) Process.
View the FORCE letter to MNR regarding Application for Licence Procedure, Aggregate Resource Act - ARA (11.1)
View the FORCE Press Release - January 28, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009 - Flamborough Review
Groundwater protection key concern in quarry fight
Opponents of the proposed St. Marys Flamborough Quarry are adamant that until St. Marys Cement (SMC) proves that the proposed quarry won't negatively affect groundwater in northeast Flamborough, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) should not deem the aggregate company's application for a quarry licence as complete.
Read the Full Article (85 KB)
Thursday, February 5, 2009 - Halton Compass
Opponents ask: Will MNR consider St Mary' application complete?
After St Marys bypassed further water tests for its quarry application at 11th Concession Road east and Milborough Town Line, opponents are wondering if the Ministry of Natural Resources will even consider the application complete.
Read the Full Article (294 KB)
Tuesday, February 3, 2009 - Hamilton Spectator
Quarry foes put focus on well water
Opponents of the limestone quarry proposed by St. Marys Cement hope to convince Natural Resources Minister Donna Cansfield that the company's licence application is incomplete without proof a deep pit can be kept dry without affecting area well water.
Read the Full Article (35 KB)
Friday, January 30, 2009 - Flamborough Review
St. Marys applies for licence
St. Marys Cement decided last Thursday to move forward on its proposal to establish a quarry in northeast Flamborough by submitting its application for an aggregate licence to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). At the same time, the company rejected direction from the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) that it repeat water-pumping tests that the ministry deemed unreliable because of heavy rainfall during the testing period last July.
Read the Full Article (87 KB)
Thursday, January 29, 2009 - Halton Compass - Opponents say St. Marys bypassing MOE
Flamborough Councillor Margaret McCarthy and anti-quarry group FORCE are worried that St Marys has bypassed the Ministry of Environment and is going directly to the 'quarry-friendly' Ministry of Natural Resources with its application.
Read the Full Article (221 KB)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 - Hamilton Spectator
St. Marys refuses to redo test, asks for quarry licence
St. Marys Cement is refusing to repeat a water-pumping test rejected by the Ontario Environment Ministry and is pushing to get a provincial licence before Hamilton decides whether to rezone the site to permit a quarry.
Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence, an advocacy group, calls the moves aggressive, hostile and antisocial. He wants Premier Dalton McGuinty to halt the approval process.
"This reinforces the submission that St. Marys is not a good corporate citizen and is not interested in working with
the community to allay its concerns," he said. "They are acting in an incredibly aggressive and precipitous fashion.
Read the Full Article (37 KB)
Friday, January 9, 2009 - Flamborough Review
St Marys applies for further rezoning
St. Marys CBM has filed an application with the City of Hamilton for rezoning and an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) for a 10.6-acre parcel of land on Milburough Line. The application, filed early in December, is part of the aggregate company's overall plan to establish a quarry in northeast Flamborough. A separate, but similar application was filed for adjacent lands in September 2004 to permit a large limestone quarry near the corner of 11th Concession Road East and Milburough Line.
The recent application, calling for rezoning of the land from agricultural/conservation management to extractive industrial, is needed to provide an entrance and exit driveway for quarry trucks.
Read the Full Article (88 KB)
Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - Ontario Farmer
Anti-quarry campaigners gear up once again to protect farm land
Carlisle - Opponents are revving up for the latest battle in their four-year war against a bid by an aggregates company to open a quarry in the middle of an agricultural area in Flamborough.
Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment - a citizen group of farmers and other rural dwellers - has run a grassroots campaign since 2004 against an application by St Marys Cement Inc. to establish a limestone quarry on two adjacent tracts of farmland north of the village of Carlisle.
Read the Full Article (3.15 MB)