Strada Aggregates is to be applauded for its forward thinking approaching

Editor:

The June 23 edition of The Echo announced the historic community engagement reached between Strada Aggregates Inc., an aggregate producer, and the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT), one of the lead organizations that successfully opposed the Mega-quarry back in 2006-2012.

This agreement is truly “historic” as it is the first of its kind to be established in Canada between a community and an aggregate company. Strada Aggregates is to be applauded for its forward thinking by approaching the Melancthon community and NDACT before starting its application to go below the water table in one of its existing quarries with a proposal to engage based on the shared principles of openness, transparency, and science-based decision- making with NDACT and the community.

Through this community engagement agreement, Strada has committed to not proceed with the quarry application if the science shows that going below the water table would cause unreasonable adverse environmental effects. Similarly, NDACT has committed to not oppose the quarry application if the science confirms that going below the water table will not cause such harm.

Further to this, Strada has committed to protecting wells and natural features in the surrounding area and funding an ongoing community recreation fund that resident groups and community organizations can apply to for recreational and community enhancement projects on a yearly basis.

This whole public engagement agreement, between Strada and NDACT with the collaboration of Melancthon Township, is awesome as it promises transparency and appropriate community involvement in the license application process. Instead of thecommunity finding out after the fact that a quarry license has been applied for and then having to hope the applicant shares the scientific data with them, everyone will now be part of a transparent process. Gone will be the day when community individuals or groups will have to fund their own studies to verify the applicant’s data to determine whether a proposed quarry application will be benign or harmful to them and/or the community.

A townhall will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday August 2 at the Horning’s Mills Community Hall to provide the community with an opportunity to ask questions about this unique and historic agreement. Further information on the agreement can be foundon Strada’s website www.stradaquarry.com and NDACT’s website www.ndact.ca.

Brian Bell,

Vice-Chair, NDACT

Creemore.