Food and Water First
Food Water FirstMega-party marks Melancthon quarry's mega-death
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- Published on Saturday, 09 February 2013 00:02
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Our Lady Peace drummer Jeremy Taggart, who grew up in Mansfield, has assembled a band to perform at the Taters Not Craters Dance at the Honeywood arena on Feb. 16
In the absence of craters, Melancthon is dancing for taters.
The North Dufferin Agricultural Task Force (NDACT) hosts the Taters Not Craters Dance at the Honeywood arena on Feb. 16 from 6 p.m. to midnight.
The dance celebrates The Highland Companies withdrawal of its application for a licence to mine 2,316 acres of land for limestone in Melancthon, as well as the group’s second mission for an overhaul of the provincial Aggregate Resources Act (ARA).
“It’s an intermittent victory because we strongly feel that this thing is not done, until the ARA review is complete,” said NDACT chair Carl Cosack.
To help celebrate the victory, Our Lady Peace drummer Jeremy Taggart has assembled a band to entertain NDACT’s party guests. The group includes fellow Our Lady Peace members Steve Mazur on guitar, bassist Duncan Coutts and keyboard player Robin Hatch.
“It’s our absolute pleasure to entertain the actual farmers and residents of the town that were most concerned,” Taggart told The Banner. “I can’t wait to celebrate this unbelievable victory for the people. I’m so excited I can’t believe it.”
Taggart, who will also emcee the party, said his band plans to perform cover songs during the event.
Taggart grew up in Mansfield and was told about the quarry plan by a childhood friend, leading to his involvement in the fight to stop Highland.
“The Honeywood arena is going to be amazing. I used to go skating there as a kid,” Taggart said. “I remember as a kid seeing Eddie Shack and the oldtimers playing hockey there.”
Tom Barlow joins the party’s lineup and will perform Fighting in a Burning House, a song about the community’s struggle to preserve its farmland.
“We’ve written a song inspired by all these shenanigans that have been going on these past few years,” he said.
Barlow joined the effort to stop the quarry after McMaster University professor John Varty’s cross-Canada tractor tour stopped in Melancthon to raise awareness for the issue. Barlow performed during the tour’s stop and he later returned for Foodstock.
“We’re looking forward to getting up there and seeing a lot of the people we’ve worked with for quite a long while,” Barlow said. “I think everyone is quite excited. It went so well.”
Fighting in a Burning House has not been released. Barlow explained he’s been tinkering with the tune as the situation developed.
“It’s sort of been changed and modified as the years went on,” Barlow said.
Rounding out the musical roster is Hobo Wally, Danny Beaton, Ed Roman, Grand Canyon and the Hamilton-based alternative country rock band Harlan Pepper.
“We’re looking forward to it. Anything that can support homeland and home farmers is really important to us,” said Harlan Pepper bass player Thompson Wilson.
Cosack said the musicians who helped in the fight to stop the quarry are part of a critical mass determined to preserve farmland and increase food security.
“They’re not in there to gain fame, because there isn’t any in that sense. They’re already at that level,” Cosack said.
“They carry the conviction this is the right thing to do, to move society along its way.”
Taggart added the need still exists to keep a watchful eye on potential threats to farmland and water supply.
“As much as I’d like to think our government has our back … I still think people need to continue to keep their eyes open,” Taggart said.
The celebration also includes a local food showcase by several chefs, including Philip Patrick, executive chef at the Ridge at Manitou Golf Club, Caesar Guinto and Samuel Holwell of Creemore Kitchen, Shawn Adler from The Flying Chestnut & The Flying Spatula, and Gareth and Julie Carter from Men With Knives Catering.
“It just ties in everything that we’ve been about,” Cosack said.
Before the celebration begins, NDACT hosts a meeting and public open house at 7 p.m. During the meeting, University of Guelph professor Rene Van Acker will speak about the need to protect prime farmland. Cosack will also deliver a message about “round two” of NDACT’s mandate.
“It gives us a chance to let people know where we’re going,” Cosack said.
The musical portion of the night begins with square dancing by Gary Heaslip & Band.
“On the fun side, some good country people can teach square dancing to our city friends,” Cosack said.
Tickets to the dance, which are limited, are available through ndact.com and cost $20 to cover the cost of the event.
By Bill Tremblay
Published in the "Orangeville Banner", Feb. 6, 2013
http://www.orangeville.com/community-story/1938892-mega-party-marks-melancthon-quarry-s-mega-death/
Study reveals Greater Golden Horseshoe unprotected green space provides $122 million in ecological benefits each year
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- Published on Thursday, 07 February 2013 20:30
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Press Release
TORONTO – A patchwork of remaining farmland and green space in Ontario’s rapidly growing Golden Horseshoe region provides millions of dollars in services and benefits, according to a David Suzuki Foundation study. The report examines the Whitebelt Study Area, more than 94,000 hectares of unprotected farmland, fields and forests in the municipalities of Durham, York, Halton, Hamilton and Peel. The fate of these lands remains uncertain as the provincial government considers whether to approve proposals to develop prime farmland and green space as the region grows.
“Despite having sprawl-curbing provincial policies on the books, like the Greenbelt Act and Greater Golden Horseshoe Growth Plan, these green spaces closest to urban centres are under intense development pressure for sprawling new housing estates, highways, big-box stores and other infrastructure,” said Faisal Moola, director of Ontario programs at the David Suzuki Foundation. “This study demonstrates why municipalities and the Government of Ontario should redouble their efforts to protect our remaining farmland and natural green space from costly and polluting urban sprawl.”
Using valuation techniques from the field of natural capital economics, the study estimates that the Whitebelt Study Area’s rich tapestry of natural and agricultural assets provides more than $122 million in economic benefits a year for communities throughout the region. These values are derived by estimating the value of services and benefits provided by ecosystems, such as naturally cleaning air, filtering water and offering flood protection. Although these lands are currently farms and green space, municipalities have proposed developing more than 10,000 hectares over the next three decades. This is in addition to 52,000 hectares that the province already approved for development before the current land budgeting process.
“Canada has relatively little good-quality farmland and most of our best farmland is found in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, yet we’re losing our valuable natural assets at a blistering rate to sprawling urban expansion,” Moola said. “If we value local food and want to maintain the critical benefits that nature provides to our communities, our laws, policies and actions should put food and water first.”
The study shows wetlands and forests provide the greatest estimated annual value ($39 and $28 million), while agricultural lands provide ecosystem services worth an estimated $53 million per year. Durham Region holds the largest share of natural capital in the study area, with $36 million in benefits, followed by Halton ($28 million), York and Peel Regions ($24 million each) and Hamilton ($11 million).
Reflecting on Melancthon's mega-quarry proposal
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- Published on Monday, 04 February 2013 21:00
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MEANDERING THROUGH LIFE with Clare McCarthy
The opera isn’t over till the fat lady sings,” is a quotation attributed to Washington Post journalist Dan Cook in 1978.
I view Cook’s opera as a metaphor for the Nov. 21 cancellation of The Highland Companies’ application to construct a mega quarry in Melancthon Township.
Since I have written in the past about potential problems such a project might cause, I was pleased at Highland’s action.
Being the suspicious bird that I am, I hope Highland is honest in its intentions and is not simply waiting for a more opportune time in the future to ‘have the fat lady sing an encore,’ and renew its quarry application once the local controversy has died down.
As long as Highland owns acreage in Melancthon, I shall remain concerned.
Speaking to my friend Dave about Highland’s sudden action, he responded, “I’m not surprised. That’s the way corporations operate. It’s called cutting your losses. They took into account strong negative public opinion and the fact that sitting on this acreage produced little profit for its investors.
“Also they may even have considered that potential damages to the water table might lead to them incurring monetary liabilities which would cut further into company profits.”
I hope you are right Dave. If The Highland Companies does in fact intend to pursue the production of potatoes in Melancthon, I see that to be a reasonable objective.
I know others who are closer to the site than I are determined to remain vigilant so this ‘quarry beast doesn’t once again raise its threatening head’ to gobble up prime agricultural land, disrupt our water table, and pollute the atmosphere.
It is essential that our federal and provincial governments adopt firmer laws to protect Canada’s environment.
With mega government omnibus bills being passed these days without proper scrutiny, politicians must exercise due diligence to ensure no clauses are permitted to sneak through, allowing companies to mount projects that will jeopardize our children’s future.
In hindsight, I wonder if First Nations participation in the protests was a sign of today’s Idle No More movement?
It was heartening that the quarry’s objectors stuck to peaceful means to voice their objections towards the mega-quarry.
If Highland’s application had been allowed to proceed, I fear protesters frustrations might have gone off the peaceful rails and became violent. Activists wisely established this was not just a case of NIMBYism (not in my backyard).
They told a simple story which showed clearly the mega-quarry could also have a profound effect on those living outside of the immediate Melancthon area.
When chefs launched Foodstock, the event brought consumers to the site to show them what land was really at stake.
Soupstock was another excellent method of increasing awareness to the general public.
The cancellation of Highland’s application was, I believe, a watermark (and landmark) response to our society’s pressures as it showed peaceful public expression of displeasure can still have impact on even the largest of companies.
Prevention of the mega-quarry was good for Melancthon farmers, but I think it was even more important for Canada in general.
This controversy was a pointed reminder to us all that we should keep a critical eye on decreasing supplies of food and water wherever we live in the world.
Until the possibility of such quarry applications rest permanently on their death beds, I encourage residents of Melancthon to remain vigilant and keep in mind the words of legendary New York Yankees catcher, outfielder and manager, Yogi Berra, “The game isn’t over till it’s over!”
Opinion column by Clare McCarthy
Published in the "Orangeville Banner", Mon. Feb. 4. 2013
Mega-party to mark Melancthon quarry's mega-death
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- Published on Thursday, 31 January 2013 04:34
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It is beyond time to celebrate Melancthon, and the North Dufferin Agricultural Community Task Force (NDACT) is bringing the mega-party to Honeywood.
In late November, The Highland Companies announced it had withdrawn its application for a licence to mine 2,316 acres of land for limestone in Melancthon. Obviously, opponents to Highland’s plans rejoiced after learning the news.
To mark its grassroots led victory, NDACT will host Taters Not Craters Dance at the Honeywood arena on Feb. 16 from 6 p.m. to midnight.
NDACT will also outline its next goal: the protection of Ontario's prime farmland and vital water resources.
The event will include a local food showcase presented by several chefs, including Philip Patrick, executive chef at the Ridge at Manitou Golf Club, Caesar Guinto and Samuel Holwell of Creemore Kitchen, Shawn Adler from The Flying Chestnut & The Flying Spatula, and Gareth and Julie Carter from Men With Knives Catering.
An NDACT meeting and pubic open house will begin at 7 p.m., before square dancing with the Gary Heaslip & Band begins at 7:45 p.m.
The show on the main stage, which runs from 8 p.m. to midnight, includess appearances from Hobo Wally, Danny Beaton, Jeremy Taggart, Ed Roman, Tom Barlow, Grand Canyon and Harlan Pepper.
Tickets to the event cost $20. To order tickets in advance, as NDACT advises, visit ndact.com.
Published in the "Orangeville Banner", January 30, 2013
http://www.orangeville.com/news-story/1935745-mega-party-to-mark-melancthon-quarry-s-mega-death/
When does it become a mega-development?
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- Published on Thursday, 24 January 2013 16:26
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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.
By Christine Shain
Published in the "Caledon Citizen", Jan. 17, 2013