Tilson praises Dufferin residents as mega-quarry application withdrawn

OTTAWA – David Tilson, Member of Parliament for Dufferin-Caledon, today praised the efforts of Dufferin residents after the Highland Companies announced this morning they were withdrawing their application for a mega-quarry in Melancthon Township citing in particular the lack of community support.

“This victory goes to the tireless efforts of the countless residents in Dufferin County that worked to make sure this mega-quarry never happened,” stated Mr. Tilson. “I wanted in particular to congratulate the members of the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT) and their Chairman, Carl Cosack and his predecessor Dale Rutledge. Working with NDACT on this critical issue is a stellar example of community activism.”

Ever since the application by the Highland Companies became public in 2011, Mr. Tilson has been engaged at the federal level in an effort to stop the project from going ahead. He has met with many individuals and organizations connected with this file, including the Minister of the Environment, the Chair of the International Joint Commission, officials from various federal departments and agencies, members of the Conservative Caucus and others

“I wanted to especially thank the ordinary Canadians, both from Dufferin-Caledon and from all across the country, who signed the petitions I’ve been presenting in the House of Commons,” said Mr. Tilson. “There have been tens of thousands of people who signed and I know it made a difference.”

Mr. Tilson also singled out Chef Michael Stadtlander and the organizers of both FOODSTOCK and SOUPSTOCK, events which helped spread the word well beyond the borders of Dufferin County into the Greater Toronto Area.