Ontario Minister of Natural Resources

6th Floor, Whitney Block, 99 Wellesley Street West

Toronto, Ontario, M7A 1W3
 
 

This is an open letter asking that you act in a matter regarding alleged violations of the Aggregate Resources Act.

We (myself and Mr. Piotr Piotrowski) have alleged that the Murray Group Ltd in its gravel pit (Bowman and Darrington sites) near Elora Ontario has dug into the watertable and violated depth restrictions in violation of both site plans and the Aggregate Resources Act. We believe that this digging endangers Carroll Creek (a cold water stream). We submitted a Request for Investigation on April 30, 1999 under the Environmental Bill of Rights to the MNR asking that these allegations be investigated. MNR accepted this request and carried out an Investigation.

Our Request contains direct, first hand, eye witness evidence of the excavation into the watertable. Our evidence includes photographs, ground measurements, peizometer readings, etc., showing an 80 meter by 20 meter pool into the watertable due to the illegal excavation. For details see http://plg.uwaterloo.ca/~holt/pit for our Request and these photographs. MNR's Investigation stated there was "no evidence" of violation and yet sited no evidence for its conclusion of no violations. See the same web address as above for MNR's Investigation.

Subsequently, under my rights provided by the Freedom of Information Act, I asked MNR to provide any evidence, namely facts and information, used in the MNR investigation. MNR violated the Freedom of Information Act by refusing to provide the information within the required time limit. Up to this time, the MNR has still not provided any such information.

The appearance is that the MNR Investigation was side tracked by the Aggregate Producers Association of Ontario, who were in contact with the investigating officers, and by high ranking officials in the MNR. The appearance is that there has been a a whitewash, instead of a valid investigation.

In these times of shrinking governmental agencies, there are few MNR officers to carry out enforcement of enviromental laws. It therefore falls to the public to be vigilant and to help see that that environment is not harmed. It is only with the open cooperation of the MNR that this can be possible.

I am asking you to clear the air by providing all information from MNR's Investigation. Without this open and frank clearing of the air, the suspicion of wrong-doing and corruption on the part of the MNR is inevitable.

Mr. Minister, I am asking you to see that this matter is acted on immediately, with full public accountability and with full information about how your Ministry carried out its Investigation.

Thank you for your consideration,
 
 
 
 

Ric Holt