Encouraging Responsible Management of Ontario's Aggregates

United Kingdom

Gravel trade organizations and policies

• UK $4.00 Gravel Haulage Levy. The Province of Ontario has an aggressive exploitation policy, which encourages rapid removal of gravel at cheap rates. The Ontario haulage levy is only 6 cents per tonne, which is so low that likely Ontario taxpayers are subsidizing the aggregate industry by providing it with infrastructure (roads, inspectors, etc). By contrast, UK has adopted an approach to minimize the environmental damage of the aggregate industry. The Finance Act 2001 provides for a levy of #1.60 on every tonne of aggregate - sand, gravel, rock and related products such as asphalt - extracted or commercially exploited in the UK. This levy has been designed as a 'green' tax, in keeping with the Government's intention to "reform the tax system to increase incentives to reduce environmental damage", first expressed in July 1997. The aggregates levy seeks to provide such an incentive by imposing on those involved in the production of aggregates a financial penalty which reflects the damage this activity causes to the local environment. The types of environmental damage caused by quarrying were described to us as dust, dirt and noise, air pollution and loss of landscape, biodiversity and amenity.
• QPA. Quarry Products Association. UK's large lobby organization for aggregates.
• BAA. British Aggregates Association. This group represents small aggregate producers. It opposes the control of the industry by a few large producers. Their web sites says, "Today there are only some 200 private quarry companies left throughout mainland Britain!" This concentration of the aggregate industry seems to have also taken place in Ontario.