Pause new pits and fix the system
As predicted, new provincial legislation designed to reduce red tape is making it easier for aggregate companies to get licences and permits, and harder for communities to oppose them. And while aggregate is an essential material, what if the destruction of over-mining outweighs the beneficial uses of the material in favour of profits?
In October 2024, the Ministry of Natural Resources released a report on aggregate supply and demand in Ontario. The report identifies aggregate reserves in the Greater Golden Horseshoe in excess of six billion tonnes – an amount that can, at current consumption rates, meet provincial construction needs for the next 38 years without adding any new pits or quarries. The gravel mining industry is authorized to extract thirteen times more gravel every year than what we use, from more than 5,000 existing gravel mining sites in Ontario.
In response, The Reform Gravel Mining Coalition (RGMC) is calling on the Ontario government to halt approvals for new gravel pits and quarries following the release of the Auditor General’s 2025 follow-up report on the management of aggregate resources.
RGMC unites residents’ groups to demand the Ontario government take the actions necessary to protect public health, the environment, and democratic rights from the devastating impacts of Ontario’s gravel mining industry.
The report finds that two years after the Auditor General first raised serious concerns about oversight of the sector, most recommended reforms have seen little or no progress. Of the 31 recommendations made in the 2023 audit, only four have been fully implemented, while 10 have seen little or no progress and eight will not be implemented at all, according to the follow-up.
“The Auditor General has once again highlighted serious regulatory failures in how gravel mining is overseen in Ontario,” said Doug Tripp, RGMC co- chair. “Despite clear warnings and recommendations, Ontario continues to approve new gravel pits and quarries while key inspection, enforcement and rehabilitation measures remain incomplete, leaving communities and the environment at risk.”
The audit notes ongoing limitations and uncertainty in the underlying data, including gaps in information about aggregate quality and recoverability. The report further notes the province has not committed to regular updates or strengthened verification processes to improve the reliability of future supply estimates.
RGMC is urging the provincial government to impose an immediate moratorium on new aggregate approvals until the Auditor General’s recommendations are fully implemented and a regulatory system is in place that prioritizes community protection, environmental integrity and responsible resource management. The coalition is also calling on municipalities and residents to oppose new gravel mining applications and pass resolutions demanding provincial reform.
The petition is at www.reformgravelmining.ca.
