The Milton community’s rock solid opposition to the proposed Campbellville quarry may have gotten a boost from Premier Doug Ford, but there doesn’t seem to be an immediate resolution.
After ensuring concerned residents and officials about four years ago that he'd put a stop to the proposal, Ford said he’ll decide once the project’s environmental assessment (EA) review process — started last December by proponent James Dick Construction Ltd. (JDCL) — is completed.
“Well, it's under environmental assessment,” Ford responded to a question from MiltonToday on his commitment during a transit announcement in Milton Monday. “We encourage all members of the community to write their comments in. And then when that time comes, we'll make a decision on that.”
At a community meeting organized by ACTION Milton last month, Zeeshan Hamid, a local byelection candidate with the PCs, repeated to the audience what Ford told him about the premier’s intention to keep the project from happening — while first letting the process play out.
We have reached out to the premier’s office for confirmation, but haven’t received a response.
George Minakakis, chair of ACTION Milton, questioned the necessity of the EA.
“There is no logic to this continuing anymore,” Minakakais said in a previous interview, calling it a waste of taxpayer’s money and time. “The premier has the opportunity and the ability, and the support of the community, to do this.”
The approximate 72-acre site for the proposed Reid Road Reservoir Quarry is located at 9210 Twiss Rd.
JDCL plans to extract up to 990,000 tons of aggregate annually by underwater blasting. Community members — along with the Town and Halton Region — have raised concerns about potential health and environmental impacts, including endangering water supply for more than 20,000 residents.
