ARA Review – Great news!

The review of the Aggregate Resources Act is back on track! The Standing Committee on General Government will finish the task it began a year ago. The ARA review will resume and a final report will be issued.

The review was ordered by the province in the fall of 2011 because of the controversy over the proposed Highland mega quarry. Public hearings were held in communities across Ontario last spring, and the Committee members heard from farmers, agricultural stakeholders and representatives of the aggregate industry.  There were strong recommendations from the agricultural stakeholders that prime farmland and source water regions be protected from aggregate operations. It was during those hearings that MPPs first heard the term “Food and Water First.”

The ARA review was suspended during prorogation and, over the past couple of months, there were concerns the Committee was not going to complete the review. Thanks to everyone who wrote the MPPs on the Committee. And thanks to those MPPs who worked hard on our behalf!