Food and water last?

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Published on Thursday, 18 April 2013 00:56

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The review of the Aggregate Resources Act (ARA) waits in political limbo.

ARA review

Photo by Bill Tremblay

Following an 2011 election promise, the provincial Standing Committee on General Government began examining how siting, operations and rehabilitation are handled in the ARA, as well as new industry developments, resource development and fees and royalties.

The committee embarked on a tour of the province, visiting communities to gather input on the aggregate extraction process.

However, when former premier Dalton McGuinty resigned and prorogued parliament, the ARA review was derailed.

“Because everything died with prorogation, we have to agree as parties that we want to reinstitute the work that had been done in the last session,” said general government committee member Rosario Marchese, NDP MPP for Trinity-Spadina.

When the committee returned, they began studying issues of gridlock and auto insurance. Marchese explained the committee’s current focus doesn’t mean review of the ARA is on the backburner.

“I think there is going to be general agreement for us to do a report with recommendations based on what we heard in those hearings,” Marchese said. “I’m very optimistic it will happen, and soon.”

Before the ARA review is revived, a subcommittee must meet to discuss how the information will be used, with all parties agreeing on returning to the issue.

“It will happen. I am very interested with moving on with that,” Marchese said. “It’s just a question of bringing it forth.”

Aggregate fees, self-regulation and agriculture became recurring themes during the committee’s provincial tour.

“Farmland is something we heard strong, strong views in terms of making sure we protect farmland,” Marchese said.

Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones also blamed prorogation for disrupting the review.

“I’m pretty frustrated we weren’t able to finish it because the house prorogued,” Jones said, who sat on the committee during its Orangeville stop. “The positive was we did get to hear all the public input.”

The ARA review information could find a permanent home collecting dust.

“There is certainly value studying gridlock and auto insurance,” Jones said. “Part of me wishes the ministry is now not going to ignore all of the information they heard and collected.”

Carl Cosack, chair of the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Task Force (NDACT) remains confident the committee will recommend changes to the ARA.

“You’re always concerned, but I’m fundamentally an extremely positive person,” Cosack said. “All along this process I have fundamentally believed that those people who run for public office actually want to do good things.”

Cosack appeared before the committee in Toronto and Orangeville, when they toured the province gathering public input.

“The status quo just isn’t sufficient for 2013. We’re really looking that this gets to a report stage for sure,” Cosack said. “We hope that everybody sees the wisdom in finishing what they spent good energy on.”

Although the review of the ARA is on hold, the Food and Water First Campaign is in full swing.

“I don’t know how it got to be such a wave of work and interest,” Cosack said, a spokesperson for the campaign.

The campaign has attracted a broad spectrum of support, from municipalities to the David Suzuki Foundation to small businesses.

“It’s a little bizarre," Cosack said. “Normally the financial sector and David Suzuki don’t align on a common cause.”

Food and Water First also serves to remind Queen’s Park of the movement behind its cause.

“I think the movement Ontario-wide has been on Queen’s Park radar all along,” Cosack said.

By Bill Tremblay

Published in the "Orangeville Banner", Apr. 17, 2013

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