Studies & Statistics

Pits & Quarries Spreadsheet
January 2010, extracted from MNR data by GWO.  For any Ontario pit/quarry, you can find its location, maximum annual tonnage, license owner information and licensed area. Link to Spreadsheet
MNRF Pit / Quarry Map
MNR interactive maps of pits and quarries with basic statistics
State of Aggregate Resources Ontario Study (SAROS) 2009/10
In 2009 and 2010, Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resource carried out a set of studies on SAROS (State of the Aggregate Resource, Ontario Study).  See MNR’s description of SAROS.

  1. [Dec 2009]  Six SAROS papers.  MNR commissioned a set of six papers about the State of Aggregate Resources in Ontario which were completed in December 2009 and released July 9, 2010. These were contracted to six industrial consultancies.
  2. [Feb 19, 2010]  Consolidated Report. MNR summarized the results of these six papers in a publication called the SAROS Consolidated Report, which presents 26 key findings about aggregates in Ontario.
  3. [April 7, 2010]  NEC Report on SAROS (.pdf)  Niagara Escarpment Commission produced a staff report that is critical of SAROS in various ways, concluding that”Overall, SAROS portrays a very positive image of and economic benefit from the aggregate sector while downplaying the controversial issues such as environmental costs and impacts, poor track record on progressive rehabilitation and the nature of promised rehabilitation over time.”
  4. [April 21, 2010]  Halton Report on SAROS (.pdf). Halton Region produced a staff report that is critical of the SAROS Consolidated Report in various ways, stating that the “issues in the report appear to favour the perspectives of the aggregate industry, and a balanced and objective presentation on the state of the aggregate resource in Ontario is required.”
  5. [June 30, 2010]  Gravel Watch Ontario released a Critique (.pdf) of MNR’s SAROS Consolidated Report.
  6. [July 9, 2010]  MNR released six SAROS papers and consensus recommendations:
    1. Aggregate Consumption & Demand (.pdf)
    2. Availability & Alternatives (.pdf)
    3. The Value of Aggregates(.pdf)
    4. Recycling (.pdf)
    5. Aggregate Reserves in Existing Operations (.pdf)
    6. Rehabilitation (.pdf)
  7. [July 19, 2010] Gravel Watch Ontario released a Review (.pdf) of SAROS.
  8. [Aug 15, 2010]  Gravel Watch Ontario released a Review of Golder SAROS Paper 5 (.pdf) on Reserves of Aggregates.
Land Use Compatibility - GWO Response to ERO 019-2785

GWO Response to ERO 019-2785 (.pdf)

Water Systems

Water Systems – revised  (.pdf)

Cumulative Impacts of Aggregate - revised

Cumulative Impacts of Aggregates (.pdf)

Alternatives to Virgin Aggregates

Alternatives to Virgin Aggregates – road construction (.pdf)

Alternatives to Virgin Aggregates – building construction (.pdf)

Cover image of State of Aggregate Resources in Ontario study