New coalition to support quarry activism
Headwaters Community Coalition hosts benefit concert featuring Metric, Serena Ryder, Sarah Harmer
A new coalition has formed in order to create a province-wide campaign to draw attention to a resurfaced threat to water quality in the headwaters from a below-the-water-table quarry application.
Founded by Mulmur resident Jeanette McFarlane and Melancthon resident Leigh Himel, the new Headwaters Community Coalition is kicking off its fundraising efforts with a benefit concert featuring some of the best known names in Canadian music who share a desire to see the natural beauty of the area and its pure water preserved.
Various grassroots organizations and individuals have been opposing below-the-water-table aggregate extraction since the mega quarry proposal. Attention has now turned to an application by Strada Aggregates for a smaller but equally deep quarry near Horning’s Mills.
Headwaters is the source of four major river systems: the Nottawasaga, Credit, Humber and the Grand, which flow into Georgian Bay, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie.
The goal of the coalition is to bring communities facing similar challenges under one umbrella.
“They’re small communities, they have no voice. Big industries come in, they want to take over the land, the water and put their communities at risk,” said McFarlane. “It doesn’t matter how much you march, how much you protest, how many letters you write, it’s a David and Goliath story.”
She said it feels like the process is designed to grind down the opposition while big corporations with deep pockets prevail.
“We need to create awareness far beyond our little township,” she said. “We need to unite with others and find synergies.”
The goal is to give a bigger voice on the provincial stage while still activating locally.
“It just makes you part of something bigger that can put more pressure on better decision making,” said McFarlane.
The Reform Gravel Mining Coalition has called for a pause on new approvals of pits and quarries after the Ministry of Natural Resources released an updated study on aggregate supply confirming there is a 6.2 billion tonne reserve of aggregates in the Greater Golden Horseshoe that can meet construction needs for the next 38 years.
“Blasting below the water table will permanently alter our ground water systems and damage a 400 million year-old pristine aquifer that naturally purifies our drinking water. It will make an impact on the Nottawasaga watershed,” said McFarlane. “From Melancthon to Georgian Bay, and potentially alter the Grand, Saugeen and Credit River watersheds with silica dust contaminating the water systems. This puts Ontario’s water at risk.”
Like other activists, McFarlane says they are facing the erosion of environmental protections and due process with the introduction of provincial legislation like Bills 5 and 60.
“It’s a clear bulldozing path of destruction on our most valuable natural resource. We are all connected by water. The projections will reduce the Pine River by 50 per cent, if we have a summer drought again this affects farming and potentially water restrictions and dried up wells in many communities. We are unfortunately taking water for granted and making poor, short-term decisions that will have catastrophic consequences in the future. Once we blast into an aquifer you can not fix it nor can you replace a watershed in a lifetime.”
The March 25 fundraiser is set to coincide with World Water Day on March 22, observed by the United Nations, focusing on the importance of fresh water.
Starting with a fundraising goal of $250,000, the hope is to fund the province wide media campaign. McFarlane said the more money they raise, the more they can do.
The benefit concert entitled Musicians For Water will be held in Toronto on March 25 with members of Metric, Serena Ryder and Sarah Harmer.
Only 200 tickets will be sold for a unique opportunity to see three headliners performing individually in a songwriter style acoustic performance, as well as an ensemble at The Orange Lounge on Queen Street West in Toronto.
General admission costs $295 with all funds going to the cause.
McFarlane said the performers have a personal connection to the area and/or the cause. Sarah Harmer has been lending her talents to the preservation of the Niagara Escarpment for more than 25 years, earning her the 2025 Juno Humanitarian Award.
Learn more, donate and get tickets at headwaterscommunitycoalition. ca. Find Headwaters Community Coalition on Facebook and @SOS_ HEadwaters on Instagram.
