Update coming in December on Meridian Quarry initiatives

Staff and the Mayor’s Office are planning to provide an update at the December Community Planning Regulation & Mobility Committee on initiatives related to the Meridian Quarry.The update was initially scheduled for earlier this year, but work was delayed due to focusing efforts on COVID19, and then beginning to work through the significant backlog of many other matters that had also been put on pause temporarily.For reference, in December 2019 council approved a report from my office, MO-17-19, developed in collaboration with Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith, directing the following actions:

1. Direct the Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility to investigate the Air Quality Bylaw for Oakville and report back to council with a recommendation for a similar bylaw for Burlington by Q2 2020; and
2. Direct the Executive Director of Legal Services and Corporation Counsel to retain an environmental lawyer to advise on the municipal role in the Aldershot Quarry, the potential air quality bylaw and any other matters arising; and
3. Direct the Executive Director of Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility to review and report back on the peer reviews of the studies done by Meridian/Aldershot Quarry and requirements for ongoing monitoring and potential impacts on human health. As part of the review, report back on the cost and process to conduct an independent peer review of studies conducted to date; and
4. Direct the Director of Roads, Parks and Forestry to review the forestry plan for phased removal and replacement of trees at the Aldershot Quarry, and report back with an assessment to council in Q2 2020; and
5. Direct the Mayor to:
   1. write to the three local MPPs for Burlington, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry to request a meeting to discuss the conditions of the site plan and their oversight and due diligence in ongoing monitoring and studies conducted on the air quality impacts of the quarry activities to ensure the quarry is operating within provincial regulations.
   2. establish a Community Council Liaison Committee with representation from Meridian/Aldershot Quarry, local citizens, provincial ministries, city staff and council, and other stakeholders (as identified below), to provide regular communication among stakeholders, renew monitoring studies, and discuss quarry activities and any emerging/new issues.

Staff will report to committee on Items 1-4.In terms of actions from the Mayor’s office, Item 5:Regarding Item 5.1: I did have an opportunity to meet with the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the Parliamentary Assistant for the Minister of Natural Resources & Forestry to discuss the Meridian Quarry (among other issues) this summer during the virtual Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference. My staff are in the process of scheduling further meetings to discuss the matters outlined above. Details of our AMO meetings are here: AMO 2020 delegationsRegarding Item 5.2: In coming weeks, my office, along with the Ward 1 Councillor, will be putting together the details for the Liaison Committee together.We will report further progress on both items during the December meeting.The update report from staff on their initiatives, and a separate report on Mayor’s office initiatives, are scheduled to be presented at the Community Planning Regulation & Mobility Committee, Tues. Dec 8, beginning at 9:30 am. Agendas and reports are typically posted online about 10 days in advance of committee week, and should be publicly available by Friday Nov. 27. Reports will be posted on the Burlington Calendar of meetings under the Committee date. Residents can attend this meeting and register to speak. Meetings are currently being held virtually.For further information:Meridian Brick community information page: AldershotQuarry.caResidents group Tyandaga Environmental Coalition: TECBurlington.comWe thank the community for their patience and look forward to further discussions and progress in coming weeks and months.