OMB/LPAT/ERT/OLT decisions and outcomes

  Trent Lake/Dewdney Mountain Farms LTD

Dewdney Mountain Farms Ltd. (Dewdney) received approval in 2012 from the Municipality of Trent Lakes to
build a limestone quarry and concrete plant just outside of Bobcaygeon. The Citizens for Responsible Aggregate
Development (CFRAD) launched an appeal soon after, resulting in an Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) hearing
which began in May 2014 and concluded in August 2014 (bbcla.ca).

Following the OMB hearing in 2014, the quarry was all but approved with one issue remaining – noise (P.
Vanmeer). The Tribunal concluded that it could not authorize the land zoning amendment because the
company had failed to provide an effective noise mitigation plan. After appealing this decision and bringing it
to the OMB once again, the quarry owners officially withdrew their appeal in June 2018 (G. Davis).

Among the residents’ concerns were the impacts of dust, habitat for species at risk, protection for drinking
water, impacts on environmentally sensitive areas and noise pollution as dozens of trucks would be travelling
through a residential area daily (G. Davis). Many Bobcaygeon residents and local councillors also worried that
if the quarry opened, gravel trucks using roads through the village to haul aggregates would have a severe
impact on the roads, bridges and quality of life in the village (mykawartha.com).

More than 500 residents took part in several rallies and dozens appeared at council meetings, beginning when
Dewdney first presented its plan in 2012 and up until their 2018 withdrawl (G. Davis). They also put on multiple
fundraising events to help cover legal fees accumulated over the course of the multi-year process.

The Tribunal did note that Dewdney would be permitted to resubmit a new proposal – which they did, in
November 2020. The CFRAD is discouraged by this new submission and strongly advises opponents to contact
their elected Municipal Councilors to have their voices heard (stopthisquarry.com).

Despite this setback, their fight and victory in 2018 set a precedent in a region which already had nearly three
dozen quarries. “I think it will make quarry operators think twice. They need to do their planning ahead of time
don’t wait until the end,” said Adri Eastman, one of several appellants to the proposal (G. Davis).

Links:

• https://globalnews.ca/news/4154605/opponents-win-trent-lakes-quarry-appeal/
• http://www.bblca.ca/DewdneyMountainFarmsQuarry.html
• http://www.stopthisquarry.com/
• https://www.scribd.com/document/254933003/OMB-Decision-PL130149-FEB-05-2015 – OMB decision