 |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
A 'very long reality check' said needed Claims that the quarry will generate 400 permanent jobs is very misleading (the dictionary definition of permanent "is remaining unaltered"). When the quarry is mined out there will be no jobs. The only thing permanent will be the loss of the prime farm land and he associated agricultural jobs, which are currently substantial. The rehabilitation of the quarry back to agricultural land is very undefined. Would growing poor quality pasture qualify? Dufferin County already has an abundance of marginal farmland. Without question the present extremely high quality farmland will be drastically diminished forever. The permanent effect on underground water will likely be detrimental. Who can predict the final result when such a massive area and depth of limestone is removed? I also cannot imagine that the 2400-acre quarry, in decades to come, will not expand enormously. Otherwise, why purchase so much extra land? The argument for quarries is that Ontario needs aggregates for growth and infrastructure rebuilds. Limestone is the best source, but there are areas of limestone not covered by absolute prime farmland. Why not develop these? I believe the answer is simple: a small group of global investors researched the area and realized the land ownership was concentrated in a few hands and a very large land assembly could be accomplished quickly. Also potential railway access could supply an incredibly large market including export into the USA. The last ting required is a rezoning from agriculture to quarry. Unfortunately, Ontario's track record of rezoning to aggregates has been extremely one sided. It could really look like a slam dunk to the global investors. The rezoning requires the approval of Melancthon Township and Dufferin County, and likely the OMB and ultimately the Ontario Cabinet. How can any one of these people, with any conscience or futuristic thinking, approve the rezoning? There is no betterment for the local community nor for the residents of Ontario. The only permanent result is the destruction of extremely prime farm and the permanent sustainable economy that it provides. There is nothing morally, socially or long term economically right about this rezoning.
Future generations will condemn the shortsightedness of our generation, if this is allowed to happen. Everyone needs to take a very long reality check. |
      |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
