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Friday, May 25, 2007 - Hamilton Spectator
City fears Carlisle water tests will drain municipal wells

The City of Hamilton fears Carlisle's municipal wells could run dry if the province allows a quarry company to test a water-pumping system that would let it blast a 13-storey-deep hole to supply the Greater Toronto Area with crushed limestone.

The city is among more than 600 organizations and individuals that flooded the Ontario Environment Ministry with objections to the test proposed by CBM Aggregates, a subsidiary of St. Mary's Cement, which wants to open a huge quarry on the 11th Concession East at Milborough Line.

Read the Full Article (123 KB)


Friday, May 18, 2007 - Canadian Champion
Quarry Opposition Holds Strong as Crowd Packs Hall

For the third year in a row, a capacity crowd filled a Flamborough recreation hall to protest a proposal for a quarry near Campbellville.

"That to me was a gift," Graham Flint said following the Wednesday night meeting organized by FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment), a grassroots citizen's group that has opposed the quarry application from the start.

Flint, who chairs FORCE, was impressed by the show of support from area residents three years into the community's battle to quash the quarry plan.

Read the Full Article (149 KB)


Thursday, May 17, 2007 - Flamborough Review
Quarry opponents raise dust at annual meeting

For the third year in a row, a capacity crowd filled the Lawson Park recreation hall to protest a proposal for a quarry in northeast Flamborough near Milburough Line.

"That to me was a gift," Graham Flint said following last Wednesday's meeting organized by FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment), a grassroots citizen's group that has opposed the quarry application from the start.

Read the Full Article (190 KB)


Tuesday, May 8, 2007
FORCE secures opportunity to meet with St Marys

After almost a full year of requests, senior representatives of St Marys Cement CBM have now agreed to meet with the Community's representatives to discuss the Flamborough Quarry application. While a specific date has not yet been set for the meeting, John Moroz (VP & GM of Aggregates) has agreed to a meeting between St Marys and FORCE. It is hoped that through this new line of communications the Community will be able to obtain up to date information on the application activities and a method to share documentation between St Marys and the Community. Further information on this development will be posted as events unfold.


Friday, April 27, 2007
FORCE meets May 9

As FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment) gears up for its third annual meeting next month, the group remains as opposed to the Mountsberg Quarry as ever. Describing the May 9 meeting as "a rallying point" for area residents, FORCE chair Graham Flint said the group plans to send a firm message to St. Mary's Cement that "we're not taking our eye off the ball...and our resolve (to fight the quarry application) has not changed."

Read the Full Article (148 KB)


Thursday, April 26, 2007
Anti-quarry group give St. Mary's a failing grade

When the anti-quarry group FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment) was drafting its third annual report, they decided their views on the St. Mary's application was academic.

More much so, that they included a report card.

Read the Full Article (288 KB)


Thursday, April 26, 2007
Ontario Environment Commissioner's Special Report Continues Criticism of MNR's Planning for Aggregate Extraction and Compliance

The Environment Commissioner of Ontario, Gordon Miller, released a Special Report to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on April 24, 2007 entitled "Doing Less with Less". The report says people's health and the environment are at risk from more than a decade of cutbacks under NDP, Conservative and Liberal governments. While recent provincial budgets have begun to address the problems, Miller notes that the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) still require significant capacity building. This latest report continues criticism of MNR's planning for aggregate extraction, inspection capacity, compliance enforcement and site rehabilitation that have been documented in the Commissioner's Annual Reports for the last number of years. For more information read the full report at: http://www.ecoissues.ca/index.php/List_of_Annual_Reports. The case study relating to MNR and aggregates can be found on pages 50-54.


Thursday, April 26, 2007
Province Supports 1.8 Million New Trees in the Greenbelt

As part of Earth Day celebrations on April 22, 2007, the Province announced that it would provide $2 million to support the planting of 1.8 million trees in the Greenbelt - the equivalent of one per each acre of land dedicated. The Trees Ontario Foundation and the Greenbelt Foundation will coordinate the planting with conservation authorities and community organizations. The allocation will allow for a significant increase in annual planting levels, particularly in areas needing ecological restoration.

Read the News Release (106 KB)


Thursday, April 26, 2007
Province Expands Protected Green Spaces and Strengthens Greenbelt

The Provincial government expanded protected green spaces and strengthened the ecological integrity of the Greenbelt by announcing 10 new parkland areas on April 20, 2007. More than 200 acres of natural heritage lands were given to communities and conservation organizations in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The lands contain a range of significant natural values such as wetlands, hardwood forests, Environmentally Significant Areas, unique ravines, and trail systems. Some 50 acres were allocated in the Hamilton/Burlington Area: Hidden Valley Green Space (Burlington); Eramosa Karst Extension (Hamilton Conservation Authority), Felker's Falls Green Space (Hamilton Conservation Authority), and Smokey Hollow, Hamilton (Bruce Trail Association). For more information, review the News Release (25 KB), Backgrounder (21 KB), and Map (151 KB).


Thursday, April 26, 2007
Comments Submitted Regarding Bill 184 - Endangered Species Act

On behalf of our communities, FORCE submitted comments regarding the Province's recently introduced Endangered Species Act. Please refer to the April 10, 2007 Latest News for details on the proposed law itself. The legislation is a strong step forward, long overdue. The submission commends the government for key positive provisions such as strong preamble and purpose sections; a broad definition of species; a science-based process for listing species; prohibitions on habitat damage for endangered and threatened species; mandatory recovery planning for endangered and threatened species; and a meaningful stewardship program. The submission calls for improvements in areas such as species-specific habitat regulations; definition and implementation of recovery strategies; exemptions; and the status of the law relative to other provincial laws.

Read the full submission (100 KB)


Thursday, April 26, 2007
Draft Regulations from Ontario Clean Water Act Posted for Public Consultation

The first phase of draft regulations from the Ontario Clean Water Act, 2006 have been posted for public consultation. This law and its companion regulations are key to protecting drinking water sources. Comments are due by May 12, 2007. The draft regulations address topics such as: source protection areas and regions; source protection committees; the terms of reference for source protection committees; planned drinking water systems; drinking water systems that cannot be considered in a Terms of Reference; imminent drinking water hazard notification, Great Lakes Agreements; and exemptions. FORCE will review the draft content and submit comments on behalf of our communities by the deadline. Comments will be consistent with those that our communities have submitted during consultation about the legislation and about the January 2007 Discussion Paper on proposed regulatory directions. For more information and to view the draft regulations, please visit: http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-External/displaynoticecontent.do?noticeId=MTAwMTI4&statusId=MTQ5NTQx&language=en


Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Environmental Groups Outline Action Priorities for the Next Provincial Election

A group of leading environmental organizations in Ontario released policy agendas for the province in six key areas: boreal forest protection, toxics, energy, Great Lakes protection, waste & recycling, and urban sprawl and the Greenbelt. In order to protect and enhance the integrity of the Greenbelt, the groups have also called for reforms to the laws and policies governing aggregate extraction and for comprehensive strategies to manage and conserve our non-renewable resources. Representatives of the groups have met with all the major party leaders and will be mobilizing their collective memberships to push for commitments and action on these priority areas. For more information please, read the full press release (196.6 KB) and/or visit http://www.greenprosperity.ca/.


Tuesday, April 10, 2007
City Updates CART Members on St Marys Proposed Quarry Application Status

The update provided to CART members by the City of Hamilton is being posted on the http://www.stopthequarry.ca/Government/Hamilton/cityOfHamilton.php website. It has also been posted on the City's website at http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PlanningEcDev/Divisions/Planning/Development/FlamboroughQuarry.htm. For more information, read the full document (189.8 KB).

The memo summarizes key topics such as peer review funding, hydrogeology work, and haul route evaluation study. The bottom line is "Status quo. Still waiting on applicant activities."


Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Ontario Government Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Protection for Species at Risk

Ontario Minister of Natural Resources, David Ramsay, introduced legislation on March 20, 2007, that, if passed, would make Ontario a North American leader in species at risk protection and recovery. Ontario is home to nearly 40% of all of the endangered species in Canada. The proposed law will be the first in Canada to include both science-based listing of endangered plants and animals as well as mandatory habitat protection. A new $18 million stewardship fund will assist landowners in protecting wildlife habitat on their properties. For more information, please read the news release (31.9 KB), backgrounder (33.5 KB), backgrounder outlining support for the legislation (23.2 KB), and fact sheet (31.5 KB).

To view Bill 184, the proposed Endangered Species Act, please visit www.ontla.on.ca/bills/bills-files/38_Parliament/Session2/b184.pdf (1.63 MB).

The Ministry of Natural Resources will be receiving comments on the legislation on or before April 19, 2007. FORCE will be submitting comments on behalf of our communities, expressing support for the legislation's approach and noting strengths and areas for improvement by the deadline. The legislative proposal is described at www.ebr.gov.on.ca and is registry # AB06E6001.


Friday, March 2, 2007 - Flamborough Review
Quarry road testing under scrutiny

Flamborough councillor Margaret McCarthy is doubtful that "a miscommunication" led to boreholes being drilled in rural Flamborough roads without permission from the City of Hamilton.

Reacting to comments made last week by St. Mary's CBM vice-president and general manager John Moroz, who said the testing was done without permits because of a misunderstanding, McCarthy said: "In fact, there was a very clear understanding that St. Mary's was denied their request for borehole testing on City of Hamilton roads..."Their request was denied for a number of reasons, including the availability to consultants of geo-technical information on the roads, and concern that a cut in the road would undermine its integrity, she said.

Read the Full Article (152 KB)


 


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