As a citizen of Ontario, I…

As a citizen of Ontario, I feel privileged to reside in a province that holds such a diverse and extensive network of parks and conservation reserves, accounting for nearly 10% of the land base. Despite this network of protected areas, our province is still home to roughly 1/3 of the country’s species at risk, and biodiversity loss is taking place at an alarming rate. The significant decline in wildlife habitat as well as the threats to intact wilderness and biodiversity, have meant there is an even greater urgency to enact stronger protection for our protected areas - spaces which are supposed to act as refuges for wildlife, and in particular, for species that are facing extinction. I am strongly opposed to industrial activities that threaten Ontario's protected areas and do not support the creation of a crushed granite quarry just outside of the boundary of Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Park, Ontario's second largest park south of Algonquin. Allowing a massive mining operation within five hundred metres of a unique and sensitive ecosystem will cause irreparable damage to the scenic beauty, uncontaminated lakes, and the abundance of wildlife that exist within and around its boundaries. This park is one of the most diverse and least disturbed natural areas found in Central Ontario, containing more than 50 landform vegetation patterns. Quarries and open pit mines are very destructive: all the soil, plants and trees found in the extraction area are removed, the temperature and chemistry of surrounding streams are altered, natural habitat is eradicated. There is a high probability of endangered species and species at risk in this region therefore protecting biodiversity as well as maintaining natural corridors and connectivity is very important. The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) should be doing everything in its power to protect all the natural attributes of this area, instead of considering industrial activities that will threaten them. Giofam Investment Inc.'s proposal calls for mining 200,000 tonnes of granite annually will require a “Permit to Take Water of 8.1 million litres/day”. The impact that this tremendous water taking will have on both water quality and quantity will be devastating. Groundwater is the only source of potable water for all of the homes, neighbouring farms and businesses in the area, making this proposed mining operation a public health risk. Giofam currently plans to monitor wells within a one kilometre radius of the quarry. This means that as few as three properties may have their wells tested annually - this is not adequate. If water quality and quantity are to be sufficiently monitored, the well monitoring needs to be carried out in at least a three kilometre radius. Water produced from dewatering the open pits will be fed into nearby watercourses, which will then flow into the Cranberry and Head River watersheds. If granted, Giofam's Permit to Take Water will be equivalent to the average consumption of approximately 10,000 households (based on Environment Canada’s published per capita residential consumption in Ontario of 260 litres per day, three persons per household). In addition to the risks of pulling millions of litres of water out of the ground, discharging this amount of water into the Cranberry River poses a huge threat to the vital watershed, as much as doubling the flow rate during low flow periods in the summer. The new Clean Water Act ensures protection for our drinking water at its primary source and promises to prevent problems before they occur. If something transpires, there is no ‘Plan B’ for our drinking water; protection of our water resources is priority and law; therefore it must take precedence over a proposed quarry. The impacts on local residents as well as the integrity of farms and surrounding communities cannot be overlooked. Blasting, dust, noise, vibrations, lights, truck traffic, fuelling and maintenance will have a profoundly negative effect on the environment. Furthermore, in the early stages of site development, granite will be moved to an Uxbridge quarry site for crushing into gravel; granite dust contains silica, a designated hazardous material, adding another risk to this already unhealthy and unsustainable operation. The MNR must stop issuing below-ground water permits to the aggregate industry, and Ontario must reduce its demand for new aggregate. We must not forget why we have provincial parks in the first place - they meet a number of objectives: protection, heritage appreciation, recreation, and tourism. If quarries are permitted right beside our parks, these values will certainly be compromised. An area so important as Queen Elizabeth II Wildlands Park should not be classified as “protected” if a massive quarry is allowed on the outskirts of its boundaries, destroying contiguous wetlands and forest habitats. It is imperative that you deny this quarry licence. Approval of this proposal will critically affect public health and the quality of the natural environment. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this process.