Dear Mayor Meed Ward, City Council, Staff and Ms. Nheiley,
Please accept this letter on behalf of our environmental organization, Oakvillegreen Conservation Association.
Our organization is strongly opposed to the Nelson / Lafarge application to blast 2 new open pit quarries in the Niagara Escarpment at Mount Nemo in North Burlington.
As an environmental organization, we educate about the need for protection of our forests, meadows, wetlands and waterways to preserve connected natural ecosystems that are inhabited by Carolinian flora and fauna. We actively involve residents in appreciation of our area’s natural assets. Annually, hundreds participate in treeplanting and habitat restoration projects that we co-ordinate with the Town of Oakville and Conservation Halton. Although we are based in Oakville, we work alongside countless community partners to act to protect and restore biodiversity.
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Many of our members and supporters moved to Halton to have access to the spectacular hiking, walking and cycling features of the escarpment and natural rural lands. They include birdwatchers, "tree appreciators" and lovers of flora and fauna that simply doesn’t exist in our rapidly expanding, hard-surfaced suburban region where we are sacrificing greenspace to urban sprawl.
We’re worried about the quality and quantity of well water and streams, the destruction of our natural environment, heavy truck traffic on rural roads, dust and vibrations due to blasting and the strong possibility of contaminated fill ending up in the current quarry site. It is time to ensure that Nelson Lafarge is compelled to restore the 500 acres of destruction, from its last 70 years of operation.
Burlington along with countless municipalities have declared a Climate Emergency due to unprecedented natural disasters and biodiversity loss. Approving a 124 acre quarry expansion, is NOT in keeping with this goal. In light of the Province’s recent weakening of 20 pieces of environmental legislation through Bill 197, we will have to fight even harder to preserve the environment
We object to blowing up the Escarpment for corporate gain. The Escarpment is known internationally for its ecological and natural heritage uniqueness.
A UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve should be protected…. with all our might!
We are asking The City of Burlington to refuse Nelson Lafarge’s application and urge you to budget money to battle this "rock giant” in order to preserve the incredible Niagara Escarpment.
Karen Brock
President, Oakvillegreen
Oakvillegreen Conservation Association
2089 Nipigon Drive
Oakville,ON L6H4G3
Tel: 289.813.1568