
Latest News
- Fri. Jun. 7, 2013
Flamborough Review
FORCE recipient of Environmentalist of the Year award - Wed., Apr. 24, 2013
Hamilton Spectator
Mahoney: Quarry foes set to celebrate holding their ground - Mon., Apr. 8, 2013
Flamborough Review
Quarry battle over opponents say - Wed.,Mar. 27, 2013
Flamborough Review
FORCE ready to celebrate quarry victory - Thurs., Mar. 14, 2013
Flamborough Review
My View: The community that could
News Archives
Wednesday,
November 28, 2007
Environmental Defence welcomes New Ontario Cabinet and Seeks Early Action on
Environment Challenges, including aggregate developments and clean water
Environmental Defence Canada (EDC), one of the leaders of the coalition of environment groups in the last
election (http://www.greenprosperity.ca/),
heralded the swearing in of an experienced group of Ontario Cabinet Ministers in key ministries like
Environment, Energy, Natural Resources, Public Infrastructure, Municipal Affairs, and Transportation,
as the McGuinty government's mandate begins. The appointments speak to the promise of reducing the
province's ecological footprint and capacity to make early informed decisions. EDC called for action
on environmental challenges including:
- Introducing the Lake Simcoe Protection Act to safeguard the Lake and head off rampant land speculation in south Simcoe County;
- Stopping the proposed mega-marina proposed for Big Bay point in Innisfil on Lake Simcoe and placing an immediate moratorium on development that affect First Nations interests withouth basic consultation;
- Growing the Greenbelt into threatened areas of natural heritage and agricultural value
- Banning toxic chemicals like bisphenol A and others posing harm to children's health through a new Toxic Pollution Reduction Act
- Halting gravel pits and quarries from operating on sensitive Natural Heritage Areas and adopting a Green Gravel Standard
- Modernizing Conservation Authorities and the Ontario Municipal Board, and
- Instituting new Greal Lakes protection and properly implementing the Clean Water Act.
Read the full press release (87 KB) for more information.
Wednesday,
November 28, 2007
Community Must Hold McGuinty Government Accountable as New Mandate Begins
The McGuinty government's Speech from the Throne (SFT) will be read on Thursday November 29, 2007. It
will lay out the government's plans in broadbrush strokes. As we read the SFT, analyze its content,
and monitor follow-up initiatives, we as a Community need to be ever vigilant in our battle against
the St Marys proposed Flamborough quarry and to hold the government accountable for both its past
policies and for its most recent election commitments. Certainly, the proposed development appears
to fly in the face of the government's source water protection and Greenbelt policy legacies.
The Liberal government ran on its record, positioning itself as a "leader on the environment".
Key citations included:
- protecting a Greenbelt larger than PEI across the Greater Toronto Area
- putting in place Canada's best Clean Water Act ... and implementing every recommendation of the Walkerton Inquiry to ensure such a tragedy never occurs again.
Key election commitments to remember include:
- consider applications from regional and county governments to expand the Greenbelt
- review legislation on applications to open or enlarge quarries, which under current law, are rarely refused.
For more information on the government's self-described record and platform, visit www.ontarioliberal.ca and choose Our Agenda from the upper menu.
Tuesday, November 27,
2007
Hamilton/Halton Source Protection Committee Announced
The Halton Source Protection Authority, in consultation with the Hamilton Source Protection Authority,
has selected the Source Protection Committee for the Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Region.
Establishment of the Committee is a requirement under the Ontario Clean Water Act, 2006 and associated
regulations, which came into force in July 2007.
The role of the Source Protection Committee is to guide the development of the source protection plan
and to ensure that all relevant information is being taken into account when protecting our sources of
drinking water. The Source Protection Committee will be responsible for developing three pieces of
documentation that will complete the source protection planning process: 1) a Terms of Reference, 2) an
Assessment Report and 3) a Source Protection Plan.
The Halton-Hamilton Source Protection Committee will be chaired by Doug Cuthbert, who was appointed by
the Province of Ontario in August 2007. Mr. Cuthbert's experience includes 4 years with the International
Joint Commission and 33 years with Environment Canada.
The Committee itself has 15 members and ensures representation from a variety of groups. FORCE is
pleased to have our local councillor and champion, Margaret McCarthy, as one of the committee members.
The full membership consists of:
Member | Sector | Group Represented |
Doug Cuthbert (Burlington) | Chair | |
Chair Barry Lee (Councillor, Town of Milton) Mary Lou Tanner (Director of Planning and Transportation Services, Region of Halton) |
Municipal | Region of Halton City of Burlington Town of Milton Town of Oakville Town of Halton Hills Region of Peel City of Mississauga |
Margaret McCarthy (Councillor, City of Hamilton) Dave Kerr (Senior Project Manager, Source Protection Planning) |
Municipal | City of Hamilton Region of Niagara Town of Grimsby |
Sue Fielding (Councillor, Township of Puslinch) |
Municipal | County of Wellington Township of Puslinch |
Nick DiGirolamo (Georgetown) |
Agriculture/Industrial/Commercial | Agriculture |
Gavin Smuk (Dundas) |
Agriculture/Industrial/Commercial | Agriculture |
Melanie Horton (Puslinch) |
Agriculture/Industrial/Commercial | Aggregate |
Peter Ashenhurst (Hamilton) |
Agriculture/Industrial/Commercial | Home Builder |
Teri Yamada (Oakville) |
Agriculture/Industrial/Commercial | Recreation |
Betty Hansen (Oakville) |
General | Environment |
Gail Krantzberg (Hamilton) |
General | Environment |
Dave Braden (Puslinch) |
General | Member-at-Large |
Adam Kuehnbaum (Burlington) |
General | Member-at-Large |
Glenn Powell (Oakville) |
General | Member-at-Large |
For more information on the Source Protection Committee, its meeting dates, agenda and minutes, please visit www.protectingwater.ca.
Tuesday, November 26,
2007
FORCE submits comments to City of Hamilton on St Marys latest Hydrogeology Work Plan
On Monday November 26th, FORCE submitted comments, on behalf of our Communities, to the City of Hamilton
and the Combined Aggregate Resource Team (CART) regarding St Marys latest Hydrogeology Work Plan.
Government agencies have been requesting a comprehensive hydrogeology plan from the proponent for some
2 years.
In its cover letter (71 KB), FORCE continues to argue that it is incumbent on the City of Hamilton and Ministry
of the Environment to exercise their regulatory duty to ensure public health and to provide our
groundwater-based drinking supply with the highest levels of protection. The letter is supported by a
hydrogeology report (77 KB) from our expert team which documents the great difficulty and potential hazards of
undertaking both the pilot scale GRS and of implementing such a system to full quarry scale. Should
there be a determination to proceed with the pilot test, at some level, the community's hydrogeologist
makes specific recommendations regarding updating the groundwater flow model, identifying at risk wells,
determining numerical trigger values and corresponding response actions, assessing the safety of dye
tracers, and involving stakeholders - beyond the proponent - in field test monitoring. To read more on
our community's submissions regarding the Hydrogeology Work Plan and Permit to Take Water (PTTW)
application, please visit the November 30, 2006 Latest News Archives.
An electronic version of the latest Hydrogeology Work Plan is still not available from the proponent -
it will be posted as soon as it is. FORCE will continue to monitor the application and will inform the
Community of any developments.
Tuesday, November 20,
2007 - Canadian Champion
Big turnout expected for Nov. 29 quarry meeting
Draft alternative haul routes for the proposed Flamborough Quarry will be revealed November 29 at a
Public Information Centre (PIC) hosted by St. Marys Cement.
The meeting will be held in the Carlisle Golf and Country Club at 523 Carlisle Rd., just a few
kilometres south of the quarry site at 11th Concession Road East and Milburough Line (the border
between Flamborough and Milton).
Read the Canadian Champion article... (96 KB)
Read the Flamborough Review article... (106 KB)
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Call to Action - St Marys Cement (CBM) holds second Public Information Center (PIC 2)
Time To Show St Marys Our United Opposition!
On Thursday November 29th, 2007 St Marys Cement CBM is holding a second Public Information
Centre Meeting regarding their ongoing Haul Route Study for the proposed Flamborough Quarry.
The meeting will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Carlisle Golf and Country Club, a
presentation is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Whether you come early or late, we suggest you try to attend the presentation at 7:00 p.m.
View the FORCE Call to Action Flyer (264 KB)
View the St. Marys Notice (455 KB)
Thursday,
September 13, 2007 - Halton Compass
FORCE wants 'green gravel' policies in place
Political parties in the upcoming Provincial election might find concerns about aggregate applications in
the Greenbelt being FORCE-fed to them.
FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment), the group fighting the St Mary's quarry applications
in Flamborough, recently released a five-point priority paper, pushing their views on "green gravel."
Read the Full Article (496 KB)
Monday,
September 10, 2007
Region of Halton Planning and Works Department Committee receives update on St Marys Cement PIC#1
On August 29, 2007, Halton Region Commissioner of Planning and Public Works, Peter Crocker, provided
an update report to the Planning and Public Works Committee regarding St Marys Cement's first of four Public
information Centres.
Commission Crocker noted in the update that the report supported Halton Regions Strategic Plan, 2007-2110,
Theme 2: "Protect and Enhance our Natural Environment". Theme 2 includes eight goals to protect and enhance
the Regions natural environment including a "Made in Halton" aggregate management strategy.
Read the update report (83 KB)
View the report graphic (42 KB)
Read Halton Regions Strategic Plan, 2007-2110(32 KB) -Theme 2 can be found on page 4
Friday,
September 7, 2007 - Flamborough Review
FORCE calls for Greenbelt legislation reform
An anti-quarry group in Flamborough has joined more than 80 organizations in the Ontario Greenbelt
Alliance to endorse significant changes in legislation governing the approval process, regulation
and operation of quarries.
In launching its Green Gravel Campaign last week, the Alliance, which includes Friends of Rural
Communities and the Environment (FORCE) in Flamborough, urged the Ontario government to adopt
sweeping changes in the governance of the aggregate industry. The Greenbelt priorities paper
issued by the group calls for changes to The Aggregate Resources Act, the Planning Act, the
Greenbelt Act, the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act and the Oak Ridges Conservation
Act.
Read the Full Article (155 KB)
Friday,
September 7, 2007 - Flamborough Review
Joining FORCES for bike rally
Local cyclists, headed up by Gwen Todd of Carlisle, are gearing up for the second annual Tour
de FORCE Bicycle Rally this weekend - and Flamborough riders are encouraged to join the fun.
The event, which last year attracted 200 cyclists from Burlington, Brampton, Hamilton and Oakville,
aims to raise awareness of the route surrounding the proposed St. Marys quarry site in northeast
Flamborough that includes rolling hills, winding roads and the Niagara Escarpment as a backdrop.
Designated as a provincial Natural Heritage Site, the area regularly attracts cyclists.
Read the Full Article (389 KB)
Thursday,
September 6, 2007 - Halton Compass
FORCE pedals up fundraiser
It wouldn't seem that 10-speeds and quarry applications have all that much in common but on September 9,
the local anti-quarry group will be hosting their now-annual Tour de Force.
The bike-a-thon, hosted by FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment), is one of two major fundraisers
for the group opposing the St. Mary's quarry application at 11th Concession East and Milburough Line.
Read the Full Article (643 KB)