The Orangeville Citizen reports, “Opponents of The Highland Companies’ bid to create a 2,400-acre limestone quarry in Melancthon Township plan to stage a five-day walk to Melancthon from Queen’s Park (starting) at noon this Friday, which also happens to be Earth Day, Good Friday and the first day of advance polling for the May 2 federal election. …Members of the public are invited to join the march anywhere along the route.”
“A press release (says) ‘The area chosen is the highest point in Southern Ontario, right on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, an officially declared UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Below this valuable land lies priceless limestone which filters the water and an aquifer that is the Headwaters of several major river systems in Southern Ontario. The quarry will severely damage these valuable water systems which originate in this area, Ontario’s food supply, and the drinking water of more than one million people. Thousands of acres will be blasted 200 feet below the water table!'”
“Sponsors include the Mohawk Turtle Clan, the Council of Canadians, Sierra Club Ontario, the North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT), the Citizens’ Alliance for a Sustainable Environment (CAUSE), and the Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society.”
“In a separate press release, the Council of Canadians said The Highlands company ‘started buying farmland in Melancthon several years ago saying they wanted to become the province’s largest potato growing operation – which made sense to local farmers as the area is well known for its particularly high quality soil and micro-climate. …After many local farmers had sold their farms – some of which had been in the family for generations – the real motives of the company became apparent. Under that rich and rare soil is a fortune in high quality limestone worth upwards of $8 billion. There is little doubt that they intend to excavate the entire 8,000+ acres. …From the area around the proposed mine site spring the headwaters of river systems that are important drinking water sources for more than one million people downstream.'”
Council of Canadians Ontario-Quebec organizer Mark Calzavara is at the Ontario Legislature today following this issue and will be at the start of the five-day walk tomorrow afternoon. More soon.
For past blogs on this situation, please go to http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?s=melancthon.
