The Highland Companies has announced today that it is withdrawing its application for a Megaquarry in Melancthon Township and issued a statement that said “we acknowledge that the application does not have sufficient support from the community and government to justify proceeding with the approval process,”.
This is a great victory for the people of Melancthon and also for communities across Ontario that are fighting against other industrial megastructures that risk their lands, waters and quality of life. Their tremendous energy and determination is what forced the company to back down. The Council of Canadians has been working with the North Dufferin Agricultural Community Task Force (NDACT) for the last four years to help raise awareness of the issue and to pressure the provincial and federal authorities to protect communities from these sorts of projects. Council members have been very active during this campaign with thousands of you contacting your elected officials. Thank you!!!
But there are still billions of dollars worth of aggregate under the remarkably fallow fields of Melancthon County. Until our communities are granted the legal right to refuse proposals that destroy their quality of life and even threaten their existence such as the Megaquarry or Dumpsite 41 in Elmvale, we must remain ever vigilant. Protection is temporary, destruction is permanent.
