Aggregate fears mounting in Mono

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Published on Friday, 16 May 2014 01:32

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Things are likely to unfold differently than the mega-quarry fight did in Melancthon, but the potential for another confrontation is starting to brew in Mono.

Members of a newly formed community advocacy group, Protect Mono, are fearful an aggregate company that has acquired about 265 acres of property within the township wants to dig through Mono.

“It’s prime farmland first of all, which is diminishing at break-neck speed,” said Leeanne Farrugia, group leader of Protect Mono. “Mostly, it’s not appropriate land for aggregate extraction.”

The company in question isn’t sending any mixed messages though. Sam Greenwood, owner of Greenwood Construction Limited in Amaranth, confirmed he intends to explore setting up an aggregate operation on the land.

“We’re just starting the consulting program now to test and see if it is worthwhile,” Greenwood said. “It’s so premature right now. There is nothing to really say or do. Whether it will ever be an aggregate source, I have no idea.”

The lands are located between 3rd and 4th lines north of Highway 89 in Mono, and south of 30th Sideroad east of 3rd Line. The plan is to extract sand and stone, according to Greenwood.

“This isn’t going to be a quarry. There is no bedrock in this part of the world that is obtainable,” he said, adding residents may be surprised to learn his company already operates three gravel pits in Mono. “We try to keep a low profile.”

It wasn’t until about three weeks ago that the group of residents caught wind of the recent land acquisitions. Along with a property acquired in 2001, Greenwood scooped up two more parcels last November.

According to Farrugia, the three properties total somewhere between 265 and 300 acres. It isn’t known whether Greenwood’s plan stops at those three.

“That’s what we know of that he owns,” Farrugia said. “We may find that he owns more land in the area.”

Protect Mono hosted an information session at the Mono Community Centre on Saturday (May 10). Every member of Mono council and more than 100 people attended the public meeting, Farrugia said.

The citizen’s group has a laundry list of concerns, including the potential impact an aggregate operation may have on water sources, loss of farmland, as well as increased noise and truck traffic on Airport Road.

“It’s water, farmland, noise, and safety,” Farrugia said, noting the threat to the water table is top of mind. “With one of the pieces of land in particular, there is an aquifer that sits right under there.”

At this point, Greenwood hasn’t filed an aggregate licence application to the province yet, nor has he asked Mono for the zoning amendment needed to place a gravel pit on what’s currently designated rural land under the township’s Official Plan.

“If — that is the biggest problem as a council person with how you can deal with the situation,” said Mono Mayor Laura Ryan. “Until such time as an application is received, it’s considered hypothetical.”

Since the township’s hands are tied until something official is put on the table, Ryan said the best thing council members can do is keep well informed on the subject.

“You want to make sure that what’s coming to the community is something the community is willing to support,” she said. “It has to go through all the processes that are required. That’s a given. It’s early days.”

Whereas the township is unable to review an application that doesn’t exist, Protect Mono wants to mobilize sooner rather than later.

It’s a lesson learned from watching the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT) fend off The Highland Companies’ mega-quarry plans in Melancthon several years ago.

“Once that application goes in, it’s such a short period of time that citizens have the opportunity to voice concerns,” Farrugia said. “Just because they haven’t put an application in doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t bring awareness to it.”

For more information or to contact the group, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

By Chris Halliday
Published in Orangeville Banner, May 15, 2014