NDACT - When does it become a mega-development?

When does it become a mega-development?

Details: Published on Thursday, 24 January 2013 16:26; Hits: 983

A massive single site aggregate licence got massive public pushback.

The proposal to mine Melancthon has been shelved. Supporters are jubilant.

Multiple organizations partnered to oppose the Melancthon Quarry. Their tremendous efforts persuaded the province to take a highly unusual course and submit the licence application to an environmental assessment. But before this process could begin, Highland Farm withdrew its application to mine 2,300 acres of prime farmland in Melancthon.

Led by local group NDACT, the coalition of interests raised a very impressive and effective publicity campaign that educated and enthused the greater public to “Stop the Mega Quarry.” And they did.

But does the spirit of the Stop the Quarry movement end here?

Unfortunately the tried and true methods of large scale aggregate mining continue largely untouched. Under the radar, operations that start with a few hundred acres grow incrementally by adding land through amendments to existing licences. The end result is the same — the creation of colossal sites that eventually exceed the acreage that was proposed by Highland Farms, and keep going. North Caledon already has a 3,800 acre corridor of licensed pits backing on to each other, with expansions likely to come.