Tislon Calls on Government to Conduct Environmental Assessment on Melancthon Quarry

This afternoon, Dufferin-Caledon MP David Tilson rose in the House of Commons to ask the government to conduct an environmental assessment on the Highland Companies’ proposed mega-quarry in Melancthon Township...

December 01, 2021

OTTAWA, ON – This afternoon, Dufferin-Caledon MP David Tilson rose in the House of Commons to ask the government to conduct an environmental assessment on the Highland Companies’ proposed mega-quarry in Melancthon Township:

Mr. Speaker, the Highland Companies, backed by a Boston-based hedge fund, proposes to dig a 2300 acre limestone quarry on prime farmland in Melancthon Township in my riding of Dufferin-Caledon.

They want to dig down 200 feet, well below the water table. The end result is that 600 million litres of water per day - enough for over a million Ontarians - would have to be pumped out, treated, stored and injected back into the local aquifers.

The project proponents say this poses no risk to the local environment.
Mr. Speaker, Melancthon Township is home to the headwaters of 4 major river systems, flowing in all directions. To claim that there would be no effect on the headwaters and beyond stretches the realm of possibility.

I call upon the Minister of the Environment to order that the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency conduct a full environmental assessment. The residents of my riding and of Canada deserve no less.