Our Partner Mulmur Mono Citizens' Coalition

Presents........

Simcoe County Greenbelt Coalition

                        Presents:

Presented by Environmental Defence

Join them for an evening of insight and lively debate with panelists:

Joe Vaccaro, CEO, Ontario Home Builders' Association
Don McCabe, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Tim Gray, Executive Director, Environmental Defence
Kevin Eby, former Director of Planning, Region of Waterloo

Referee: John Barber, journalist and former Globe & Mail columnist.

 Space is limited. Register to attend. 

Full details.

Impact of Water Taking Operations in Wellington County

Presented by.......

National Farmers Union 

Date: Wed. November 11, 2015

Time: 7:00 PM

Where: Alma Bible Chapel, 59 Peel Street East, Alma 

Speakers will include the:

• Guelph Chapter of the Council of Canadians
• Wellington Water Watchers

  For more information, please contact Patrick Brown at 519-323-2338.

It is official...

At the November 13, 2014 NDACT Board Meeting, Carl Cosack stepped down as Chair. He was voted on as Chair, November 5, 2011, replacing NDACT's first Chair, Dale Rutledge.

Shirley Boxem was voted on as Chair, leaving the Vice Chair position vacant at this point.

Carl will continue to provide invaluable support by remaining on the NDACT Board.

Thank you Carl, for your your boundless energy, and tireless effort in moving our issues forward and into the limelight. 

NDACT is pleased to welcome...

Alia Smyth as our newest Board Member.

As a retired officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, her experience in planning, administration and training make her a valuable asset to our Board.

Welcome Alia and thank you for stepping up!

Concerned Citizens of Brant

Public Meeting

Date: Sat., Nov. 30, 2013

Time: 1:00 PM

Location: Paris Fairgrounds

http://ccob.ca/

Featuring: Danny Beaton & Carl Cosack

When: Monday, December 2, 2013

Time: 7 p.m.

Where: Main Program Room, Main Branch Guelph Library, 100 Norfolk St., Guelph

Admission: No charge

Presented by: Mike Schreiner and Friends

“There aren’t a lot of victories these days, but the mood-altering blocking of the monster quarry in Melancthon Township in potato country a year ago was a brilliant model of how to get stuff done. The alliance of urban ecos, farmers, foodies and chefs showed the power of partnering, bridged the messy city-country divide and ulti­mately triumphed over a Boston-based hedge fund… Plus, it made the point with its five-day trek and mass soup-athons that protests can be jubilant and very digestible – and that determination and positivity are our best weapons.”

Read more at:http://gangoffour.ca/tag/melancthon

and: http://mikeschreiner.ca/

and: http://www.guelphmercury.com/events/4225773--how-the-mega-quarry-was-defeated/

DATE:  Tuesday, Nov 12

TIME:   7pm-10pm

PLACE: Quail, 1055 Yonge Street. (Rosedale station)

Our friends at Food Forward are hosting a special evening of fun and conversation. Join us next Tuesday evening (Nov 12th) for "Foodie Drinks"!   We'll be chatting about Food & Water First and learning more about the campaign to protect the Pickering Lands. 

The Town of Shelburne has been added to the growing list of municipalities stepping behind the Food and Water First Campaign.

The North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT) is leading the charge for the Food and Water First Campaign, which is an effort to change policies that allow rezoning that compromises of food and water sources.

“Food and Water First is essentially phase two in stopping the mega quarry,” NDACT co-chair Shirley Boxem told Shelburne council on Monday (Nov. 4). “Even though that application has been withdrawn by The Highland Companies … our food and water is still at risk.”

NDACT was created with the mandate to stop Highland's' quarry plans in Melancthon as well as influence change to the province's Aggregate Resources Act (ARA).

With the quarry application withdrawn, the group is now focusing on ensuring legislation exists to protect Ontario’s edible assets. The Township of Melancthon already endorses the campaign.

Toronto Coun. Josh Matlow also introduced a motion asking Canada’s largest municipality to support the campaign recently.

Boxem said the campaign’s goal at this point is gaining as many eyes and ears as it can.

“The primary aim is really to help build a critical mass,” Boxem said. “It’s to help spread the word. Elected officials are clearly not putting this as a priority. It’s not on their radar.

“This is just not something they’re looking at very seriously.”

Shelburne Mayor Ed Crewson didn’t take that as a personal attack, but he did explain to Boxem that many elected officials rely on funding from developers, who in return, expect land.

“I’m just saying as an explanation, when you have developers funding 75 per cent of elections … there’s some expectation of reciprocation,” he said.  

That wasn’t the only time Crewson and council challenged Boxem during her presentation.

Council labelled the motion as too “soft” and needed reworking in order for the town to know exactly what it was they were signing onto.

Specifically, it was the mining of aggregates below the water table that Coun. Walter Benotto wanted to see added to the motion.

“It needs to be very specific,” Benotto said. “If you want to stop people from mining aggregate under the water table, you should say that in your motion.”

The motion was then reworked by Benotto, which was then given the thumbs up by council.

Food and Water First Campaign continues to plan to spread awareness across the province.

By Todd McEwen
Published in the Orangeville Banner, Nov. 6, 2013