NDACT calls for united front on Food and Water First

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Published on Friday, 25 July 2014 15:41

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The North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Task Force (NDACT) held its annual general meeting for approximately 40 members on July 10th in Horning’s Mills. Carl Cosack Chair of the taskforce brought members up to date on NDACT activities from the past year, stressing the need for a continued, united front on the Food and Water First mandate to protect prime farmland and source water. Shirley Boxem, Vice Chair spoke to the members about the urgency in “keeping this issue at the forefront, as the legislative rules have not changed and the very same mega quarry application could be applied for today.”

In the past year, NDACT circulated over 30,000 Food and Water First cards to constituents at meetings, awareness sessions and partner organizations. Candidates in the recent provincial election were urged to take the food and water first pledge. Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party was the only party leader to endorse and support NDACT’s legacy movement.

The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) peer review of the Highland Companies’ 2400 acre open pit mining application was a major topic of discussion at the meeting. The NVCA review can be read in full at www.ndact.com. A quick glance gives a clear picture of how unprepared Highland Companies was to deal with any environmental issue arising from their plan. An excerpt from NVCA’s review:

“The Technical Review finds there is insufficient investigation, understanding or quantification of the environment for an accurate determination of potential impacts or risk to the environment to be accurately undertaken. Environmental impacts were primarily, if not entirely mitigated through the reliance of the groundwater recharge and water management system. The reports rely on confidence that mitigation will work and how it will replicate existing groundwater function and avoid changes to features if they are groundwater dependant. Based on this assumption, the proponent’s consultants deem identification and address of potential impacts virtually unnecessary. With regards to identification of risks to the environment, the Technical Review finds there is insufficient address of potential impacts to the environment in the event that the proposed perpetual groundwater recharge system fails or is abandoned. Potential impacts and their significance (extent, magnitude, duration) in the absence of mitigation are insufficiently explored or addressed and often absent.”

The NVCA saw a ream of flaws in Highland Companies’ application, the words “insufficient, lacking, challenged, absent, incomplete, omitted, not presented,” and so on, were repeated continuously throughout the review. They found more than 80% of dye tests to show water flow was never recovered. The Chair stated, “This review clearly tells every bureaucrat, proponent and grass roots organization that ‘consulting’ companies interpret their own data in ways to please the applicant with little regard for doing the right thing.”

The board members sworn in July 10th include Carl Cosack, Tom Long, Lyle Parson, Shirley Boxem, Ralph Armstrong, Ted Metz and Brian Bell. NDACT is seeking additional board members; any one interested can e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with their area of expertise or interest.

The meeting closed with a challenge for everyone to pick up Food and Water First signs and put them on their lawns. Green party candidate and NDACT member Karren Wallace says:

“We waged a successful battle against the billion dollar hedge fund Baupost, but the war is not over…until legislative changes are made, every single letter we wrote, rally we attended, Foodstock and Soupstock we supported, will be for nothing. I do not want my kids and grandkids having to fight this same war. We are so close, let’s just finish this.   Right now NDACT is working with elected officials on all fronts to move the changes that are needed. The only thing that is going to put this front and centre in the politicians’ minds is critical mass. Let’s start getting those red and white signs up all over Ontario and the world again.”

Wallace has made a commitment to NDACT to place 100 signs in the next two weeks. To help Karren reach her goal, drive by 429 First Avenue East in Shelburne and grab a Food and Water First sign off the front lawn for free. (Anyone can pick up a sign free of charge, by e-mailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as well).

NDACT Treasurer Tom Long gave a financial overview; noting that fundraising has been minimal for the year, but expenses, such as legal and accounting, awareness signs and promotions remain relatively the same. NDACT calls for residents to continue their yearly memberships and fight for Food and Water First to achieve the changes that will protect water and farmland for future generations.

By Marni Walsh
Published  in the Shelburne Free Press, July 24, 2104

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