Story

Please donate to help us Save the Saugeen River, ecosystem, residents, businesses and visitors in West Grey from TWO new gravel mine applications and expansion of an existing pit straddling our beloved river.

New gravel mines need to be planned responsibly. Excavating in close proximity to the Saugeen River, trapping homes between pits, impacting local businesses and the tourism industry is simply irresponsible! Approving and granting these permits is poor planning and management of the aggregate resources in West Grey.

Two new operators have applied for aggregate licenses and the Walker/Redford pit is in the process of expanding their existing operation at the corner of Allan Park Road and Concession 4 NDR in the Municipality of West Grey on the banks of the Saugeen River.

The total impacted area consists of:

• 3.5+ km of the Saugeen, 3 tributaries and the floodplain
• 7 wetlands
• 1 significant woodland
• municipal hazard lands
• SVCA protected lands
• Habitats for endangered species
• 46+ residential homes and businesses
• Camp McGovern for underprivileged youth (property now for sale)
• Saugeen Springs RV Park (up to 600 campers per day)
• Hopkins Bridge, popular entry and exit point for the Saugeen River sits between the pit properties and multiple other bridges are on the haul routes

The Saugeen River, residents, businesses and tourism will be affected for the next 25+ years by:

• • Negative impacts to the watershed and fisheries
  • Cumulative effects of noise and dust from 3 excavating and processing operations at separate locations in close proximity to each other
  • Cumulative traffic on 3 dusty gravel internal and offsite haul routes
  • 306 to 516 trucks per day travelling the haul routes
  • 30,456 to 50,760 trucks per year spreading dust, significantly increasing traffic and noise on our rural roads and damaging bridge structures.

It is more important than ever for us to step up and say NO to these industrial operations in inappropriate locations. Outdated local policy allows these destructive, noisy, dusty operations to put our residents, visitors, environment and the Saugeen River at risk at a time when the aggregate industry is poorly regulated. MNRF’s management of the aggregate industry is broken and protections for the Saugeen River and it’s watershed are being further eroded.

The ONLY benefit is to the bottom line of the three applicants at the expense of residences and businesses around the pit properties, tourism, and all taxpayers in the Municipality of West Grey.

Thank you for your interest and contribution to our fight to STOP these irresponsible pits!