ACTION: Review ARA Amendments Proposal

The Government of Ontario has proposed amendments to the Aggregate Resources Act (ARA).

Listed on the Environment Registry of Ontario under ERO #019-0556 the proposal addresses the Ford government’s goal to “reduce burdens for business while maintaining strong protection for the environment and managing impacts to communities”.

The proposal meets many of the aggregate industry’s requests.  Highlights include:

• public engagement on applications that may impact water resources via the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal [expensive and late in the game].
• removing “duplicative” municipal zoning by-laws relating to the depth of aggregate extraction, deferring instead to the Aggregate Resources Act [takes decision-making away from municipalities].
• removing municipal zoning as an obstacle on crown land aggregate resources [takes decision-making away from municipalities].
• making haul routes a voluntary municipal concern rather than an enforceable concern of the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal or Minister [removes haul route approval as a significant obstacle].
• makes access to aggregate in adjacent municipalities easier (i.e. amendment versus new application).
• gives flexibility to self-filing of routine site plan amendments.
• enhanced rehabilitation reporting.

Plus [the scary] “reviewing application requirements for new sites, including notification and consultation requirements”.

The deadline for public comments on this review is November 4, 2019.