Green Leader questions old parties’ commitment to environment, Ontario farmers and our future

Green Leader questions old parties’ commitment to environment, Ontario farmers and our future

Toronto, Ontario – In Ontario, a mega quarry as deep as Niagara falls and 1/3 the size of Toronto does not require an environmental assessment. Yet building a barn does. Clearly, there are critical flaws in the rules that are in place to protect our farmland and water supply.

The proposed Melancthon Mega Quarry would destroy no less than 2300 acres of prime farmland and waste at least 25% of Ontario’s daily water consumption each and every day. Yet the current government and opposition parties at Queen’s Park have done nothing to halt this destructive development.

In an interview on CBC’s Metro Morning Friday July 29, 2011, Dalton McGuinty dodged the question of the environmental threat this quarry poses. When asked how this quarry would be good for the environment he didn’t mention the development in question. He then referenced the current process and laid the responsibility of dealing with objections on the proponent – a corporation backed by an American hedge fund.

Green Party Leader, Mike Schreiner has been an active opponent to the proposed Mega Quarry. His views and the views of his party on this issue are clear.

“The Mega Quarry is a threat to our water, our farmers and our future,” said Schreiner. “It is the government’s responsibility to ensure we have legislation to protect communities, farmland and our water quality – not the proponent’s. We need to plug the loopholes that threaten our water supply and allow the destruction of such a large amount of farmland. We need “taters not craters” as the local farmers are saying.”

Schreiner went on to propose that the need for such massive quarries can be avoided by creating incentives to reuse and recycle more building materials and by developing sustainable aggregate standards.

Dufferin-Caledon Green Party Candidate and party critic for the Environment and Natural Resources Rob Strang, added his concerns regarding the length of time before a final decision will be made.

“I urge the government to remember that this is a very stressful time for local residents. They should be protected by laws and regulations that protect Ontario’s farmland, farming communities and our water supply.”

It’s time to put our water supply, our farmland and our communities before ill-conceived mega projects in our laws, regulations and policy statements.
For more information on the Green Party’s plan to build vibrant local economies please visit www.itstimeforgreen.ca

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Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
(c) 905-999-5479
(e) rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca