Settlement Reached in Permit to Take Water Appeal: negotiations with CRH conclude with greater protections for water
The Federation of Tiny Township Shoreline Associations (FoTTSA) has negotiated a settlement of FoTTSA’s appeal of the 2021 Permit to Take Water issued by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to the owners of the Teedon Pit, CRH Canada Group Inc. (CRH).
The settlement will result in CRH installing an impermeable liner in the recirculation cell of the company’s existing aggregate washing operations within one year of receiving the requisite environmental compliance approval from the MECP. The purpose of the liner, which may establish a new industry standard of conduct for such operations, is to prevent the release of silt-contaminated water from aggregate washing getting into the groundwater system. The settlement will also result in the inclusion in the approval of measures respecting monitoring, inspection, response to complaints, and the prevention of silt discharges to surface water through a catch basin in the site’s berm.
FoTTSA was represented during the settlement negotiations by hydrogeologist, Wilf Ruland, and lawyers from the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA).
Other parties to the settlement were the MECP and the Township of Tiny.
CELA continues to represent FoTTSA in a separate case before the Ontario Land Tribunal regarding CRH’s proposed extension of the Teedon Pit into French’s Hill, the location of a significant recharge area above the Alliston Aquifer.
Read the full settlement here.
Teedon Pit/CRH – Permit to Take Water – Renewal and APPEALS
On April 19th, FoTTSA and the Township of Tiny were both granted Leave to Appeal the issuing of the renewal of Teedon’s Permit to Take Water by the Environmental Review Tribunal (ERT). The conclusion: Given the uniqueness of the water resources in the general area of the subject property, the history of silt infiltration and flooding of neighbouring domestic wells, and the opposing opinions regarding the effectiveness of the Permit’s conditions in addressing these issues, the Tribunal finds that it appears that the Director’s decision to issue the Permit could result in significant harm to the environment.
background
In spite of many comments arguing against the renewal of CRH Canada Group Inc’s Permit To Take Water for the purpose of washing gravel in the Teedon Pit, in Concession 1 of Tiny Township, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks issued a Permit on January 14, 2021. It allows water-taking from one pond and one well for aggregate washing purposes at rates similar to previous Permits. The Permit will not expire until January 13, 2031. This decision by MOECP ignores concerns about the potential impact of this activity on the world’s purest water. FoTTSA and the Township of Tiny have submitted Leaves to appeal.
FoTTSA – Leave to appeal submitted January 27, 2021
Township of Tiny – Leave to appeal submitted January 29, 2021
Council of Tiny Township – PTTW Appeal APPROVED at special meeting YouTube video – January 27, 2021
Council of Tiny Township – special meeting agenda & YouTube video – January 26, 2021
FoTTSA Letter to Council of Tiny Township – January 17, 2021
Permit To Take Water renewed for the Teedon Pit – January 14th, 2021
2015 Report on Hydrogeological Impacts Caused by Aggregate Washing at the Teedon Pit near Waverly, Ontario by hydrogeologist Wilf Ruland
Letter to the Ministry of the Environment from Jagger HIMS LTD, Environmental Consulting Engineers, August 2007 regarding PTTW application for Teedon Pit, Site 41 and groundwater in the Waverley area
How you can help
Contact your elected representatives
Use our email template or compose your own:
- MPP Jill Dunlop , Simcoe North jill.dunlopco@pc.ola.org 705-326-3246
- MPP Doug Downey, Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte doug.downeyco@pc.ola.org 705-726-5538
- Your local MPP if different
- Hon. Jeff Yurek Ministry of Environment, Conservation & Parks minister.mecp@ontario.ca 416-314-6790
You can also use the email function Stand Up with Tiny which instantly sends an email to Premier Doug Ford and the MPP for the address you have entered.
Help finance the legal fight
The Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) is providing free legal assistance but FoTTSA is responsible for all CELA expenses (travel, accommodation, photocopies, supplies) and for the cost of expert witnesses. All donations will help us to reach our estimated goal of $100,000. We are a not-for-profit organization but not a registered charity so we cannot issue tax deductible receipts for donations.
How to donate securely:
- Interac e-transfer fottsadonation@gmail.com
- Cheque – made out to FoTTSA and mailed to Treasurer, 42 Haselmere Road, Toronto, Ontario M4N 1X6
- Credit card or Paypal – click HERE to be redirected to the FoTTSA site to make a secure donation by credit card or Paypal
background
FoTTSA objects to CRH Canada Group Inc’s application for a Teedon Pit extension and a renewal of the permit to take water for hydrogeological reasons. We are concerned that removal of the overburden above the underlying aquifer threatens the purest groundwater ever identified, according to Dr. William Shotyk (Professor and Bocock Chair for Agriculture and the Environment at the University of Alberta). The purity of that water has been demonstrated in samples taken by Shotyk over the last 30 years.
According to poster boards presented at CRH’s public meeting about its proposed Teedon Pit extension application, gas is to be stored on site for refuelling vehicles. Repairs may be carried out as well. We are concerned that there will be chemical contaminates on the property.
Our groundwater is under threat from the proposed pit extension, the continued extraction of aggregates from the Teedon Pit in the Simcoe Moraine and also by the development of two licensed pits by The Sarjeant Company, one of which has a permit to extract below the water table. The Waverley Uplands are a recharge area for the Alliston aquifer, which flows from Waverley to Oak Ridges, and is one of the most important natural resources in Simcoe County. Area wells and springs have become silty intermittently since extraction has increased in the last decade and, recently, for a brief period, so has the well water in the water kiosk known as The Flow on Hwy 27, just north of Elmvale.
Much more work must be done into understanding groundwater flows in the area before any more extraction is permitted. Hydrogeologist Dr. John A. Cherry (co-author of Groundwater, the standard text on groundwater) has assembled a team of experts to undertake this work over the next five years. What’s at issue is the world’s purest water. We urge that the MNRF ensure that this unique, precious natural resource be protected by denying CRH Canada Group Inc’s application for a Teedon Pit Extension and by halting the current aggregate mining. Also, we request that the MNRF refer this matter to the LPAT under section 11 of the ARA if the proponent cannot satisfactorily address our hydrogeological objections. The LPAT is already seized with the proponent’s related appeals under the Planning Act.
Save our Water - Stop the Pits 
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