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The Coalition of Concerned Citizens is committed to ensuring good land use planning in Caledon - particularly associated with defeating the Rockfort Quarry application.
Latest Events Around Rockfort Quarry Proposal:
James Dick Construction Ltd. (JDCL) has hired consultants to analyze water and environmental data for the Town of Caledon's "broader environmental study" in Aggregate Resource Area 9A. This area includes the lands that JDCL wants to develop into an open pit mine. His application triggered the necessity for the "Comprehensive Broader Scale Environmental Study" (CBSES) under the Town’s policies. This involved monitoring and data collection for groundwater, surface water, fisheries, and wildlife species. A report of the results was released November 30, 2006, and a public meeting to inform and engage the community of those results took place January 25th and February 27th, 2007. More information on all of these reports is available on the Town's website.
The battle continues. At the OMB (Ontario Municipal Board) pre-hearing in October 2006, we were informed of a detailed timetable put together by the Town of Caledon, The James Dick Company (JDCL), The Region of Peel and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC). This timetable included key milestones for the next two years in preparation for the FINAL OMB HEARING. This hearing, for which we have all been waiting, was slated for SEPTEMBER 29, 2008.
We have now heard that this timetable may not be met by JDCL and a delay may be requested by them for the hearing to begin May 2009. From a citizen’s perspective, how can over ten years of delays getting to a hearing be justified?
What Will Happen Next
- There will be more consultant reports, more public meetings, pre-hearings etc. etc. The next 18 months will be extremely important.
- The Coalition needs every ounce of support you can muster. We will be asking you to attend meetings, contribute financially via garage sales, golf tournaments and capital campaigns.
- We will also need you to express your concerns both vocally and in letters to your politicians at all levels of government.
- Should you or your neighbours not be there for us, then the likely consequences on an open pit mine pumping millions of litres of our water per day, forcing 100 trucks per hour down our roads, spewing noise, dust and carbon emissions will increase immensely.
What is Happening Now
The Town of Caledon, The Region of Peel and Credit Valley Conservation have worked diligently over the past two years to monitor and appraise the work plan, field studies and data analysis that JDCL has been doing to comply with Caledon's OPA 161.
Next, a new site-specific plan will be submitted for the Rockfort open pit mine. After that the new plans will be peer reviewed by the Town, the Region, the Conservation Authority and the Coalition. Then it will be time for the OMB hearing.
Stay tuned.
And last but not least: Thank You!!
We would like to thank:
- All those individuals who meet every Sunday morning.
- The more than 100 Garage sale volunteers who have faithfully flogged and sorted treasures for nine years.
- The golf committee who has put together seven terrific tournaments.
- The fabulous fundraising committee for all they do.