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Please note that LACC is an informal, voluntary, non-profit community organization committed to the opposition of heavy metal mining explorations in Hastings County and neighboring Counties in south eastern Ontario, particularly for nickel, cobalt, copper, palladium, platinum, uranium and gold. LACC does not have memberships. However, as a matter of liability regarding any possible inaccuracies or misrepresentations, anyone stating that they are representatives of LACC must first receive written confirmation from LACC authorizing the release of any documents or public statements on behalf of LACC.
LACC does not have memberships.
Anyone of the public can act as their own individual as they see fit regarding any issues.
Please send your comments/concerns to:
Transition Metals Corp.
Attn: Scott McLean, President, CEO
9C – 1351 Kelly Lake Road
Sudbury ON P3E 5P5
(705) 669-1777
Ministry of Mines
Attn: George Pirie, Minister of Mines
99 Wellesley St. W
5th Floor, Room 5620
Toronto,ON M7A 1W3
Premier Doug Ford
Premier’s Office
Room 281
Legislative Building, Queen’s Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
Bancroft This Week Newspaper
Please make your oppositions to mining explorations in Limerick known to help bring community awareness about the threats to our water, environment, property values, and the myth that it will bring jobs to the community.
Letters to the Editor: letters@haliburtonpress.com
Please put “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line
254 Hastings Street North
PO Box 1254
Bancroft, Ont., K0L 1C0
Office Phone: 613-332-2002
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The Provincial Policy Statement for mining and explorations in southern Ontario is outdated. It allows for explorations and open pit mining in cottage country where the permanent and seasonal population has exploded and is no longer feasible without negatively impacting or destroying communities essential water reserves, environment and economy.
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Limerick relies on tourism and local leisure activities such the Heritage Trail and leisure will be heavily negatively impacted
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The majority of Limerick opposes explorations and mining in our area.
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Limerick Estates, a new subdivision in progress would be very negatively impacted resulting in decreased revenues from the home sales and much needed taxes.
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Property values would decline and residents may be unable to sell their homes or cottages, and small businesses would be impacted with the decline in home renovations.
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Explorations/mining would not bring quality jobs to the area as most skilled labour would be outsourced, and will not add to the municipal tax.
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Government bodies at all levels have the ability, and obligation to intervene prior to such damage occurring, minimizing “environmental disturbances during all phases of mining, recognizing that prevention is more effective than remediation and rehabilitation of an environmental problem.”
(Statement of Environmental Values, MNDM). -
This early stage exploration involves clear cutting, mechanized pitting and trenching exposing sulphur bearing rock. Large amounts of water containing sulphuric waste water run off will leach into waterways causing irreparable environmental destruction including several lake systems and drinking
water contamination that thousands of residents rely on. -
Year-round residents depend on this natural environment for their livelihood and well-being. The dust produced would be toxic, carried in excess of 50km and has a bio accumulative effect. Vegetation, ground water, domestic and wild animals would be negatively affected, especially for human consumption.
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Toxic, carcinogenic air borne contaminants can carry for 50+ km having a bio accumulation effect affecting lungs, kidneys and cardiovascular systems. Many residents have relocated here from cities because of health issues such as asthma, which disappeared when living here because of our clean air.
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A mine would produce millions of tons of waste. This waste will have to be contained forever, which is costly and proven unsafe. Over a dozen mining-waste spills have occurred in Canada in the last 10 years with toxic waste leaching into drinking water reservoirs.
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Exploration drilling and other mining activities – even from test holes – can travel long distances through out the underground watersheds affecting thousands of people. Drinking water from wells would be contaminated with sulphuric acid, sediment and potentially running dry from the high volumes needed for explorations.
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Ontario is the only province that does not require a full Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for mining projects BEFORE habitat and watershed destruction has begun. According to Ontario mandates, clear cutting, pitting and trenching can occur BEFORE the EIS. Therefore any habitats such as endangered or at-risk species, would be irreparably destroyed with no criminal consequences.
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Ontario is the only province in Canada that does not require an Environmental Impact Study for mining projects. Common sense should tell us that this mining property cannot be developed without causing irreversible harm to local habitats.
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Limerick and neighbouring townships are part of “The Land Between” – an important ecological zone between the St. Lawrence Lowlands and the Canadian Shield only approx 50km wide. This region has unique geological, ecological, and cultural features and has the highest level of habitat diversity in Ontario. The natural habitat of Limerick and area supports many endangered or at-risk species.
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An excerpt from a 2016 report from the Auditor General stated: “as of March 31, 2015, the government identified that it had a liability of $1.2 billion to clean up 47 contaminated sites that were caused by mining in Ontario over the years.”
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With an official government estimate of $3.1 billion in liability for both active and abandoned mines, a 300% increase over 10 years, MiningWatch reports that Ontario ranks first in Canada as having the biggest environmental liability in the mining sector. Meanwhile, both MiningWatch and the Auditor General note that Ontario generated less than 1.3 billion in mine royalties over the same period, and is offering one of the lowest—if not the lowest—effective tax rate in Canada (less than 6%). (MiningWatch Canada Report, Sept 2018).
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MiningWatch Canada- “With an official government estimate of $3.1 billion in liability for both active and abandoned mines, a 300% increase over 10 years, MiningWatch reports that Ontario ranks first in Canada as having the biggest environmental liability in the mining sector. Environmental challenge is to contain the mine waste in perpetuity, ensuring that pollution never leaks into surficial or underground waters, and that the project is not subject to a catastrophic spill or other major environmental accidents. Zero risk does not exist and there are over a dozen mining spills reported in Canada over the last decade.”
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MiningWatch Canada-“Ontario remains the only province in Canada that does not require a comprehensive environmental impact assessment for mining projects. Specific provisions of the Ontario Mining Act and associated regulations, or another relevant ministry, under different legislations, such as the Ministry of Environment, with the support of the government, gives MNDM the authority to deny Plans/Permits on the basis of potential harm with known existing ecosystems.”
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Our bedrock aquifers are sensitive to drought and vulnerable to contaminants. Mining Watch Canada estimates that, if put in operation, the mine could generate “up to 5 million tons of potentially acid generating mine waste.” This waste would need to be contained indefinitely. Even exploratory drilling could release sulphur into wells. The contaminants introduced into ground water would pollute nearby lakes, streams, and springs and could travel as far as Lake Ontario.
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There would be continuous noise pollution from truck traffic, heavy equipment and blasting as many mines operate 24 hours. After a mine is closed, it can become a prime target to be used as a landfill site.
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Our area contains hamlets which depend on tourism and outdoor recreations both locally and in the nearby towns of Madoc and Bancroft. Mining was once common in these areas, mineral concentrations in southern Ontario historically are very low grade, but leave behind reminders such as the toxic Deloro mine site (70 million remediation 2014) which is still emitting approx 10kg/day arsenic daily and is contaminated with nickel, cobalt, copper, and low level radioactive waste.
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Because of the shallow fractured rock and the volcanic geological properties of the aquifers, the flow of surface water will often deviate dramatically and unpredictably in the sub aquifers, affecting not only southern water bodies and lakes but also northern water bodies.
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The Auditor General of Ontario (AGO) denounced the lack of mandatory environmental impact assessments in Ontario in its 2016 report: “The Act is 40 years old— and is, in fact, the oldest environmental assessment legislation in Canada — it falls short of achieving its intended purpose Ontario’s environmental assessment process needs to be modernized and aligned with best practices in Canada and internationally.” “These projects—such as mining operations…—proceed without an up-front evaluation of the environmental impacts of the project. Such impacts can be extensive and can affect Ontarians for many years. For example, as of March 31, 2015, the government identified that it had a liability of $1.2 billion to clean up 47 contaminated sites that were caused by mining in Ontario over the years.” “….Tailings from copper and uranium mining often produce measurable levels of radioactivity.”
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Canadian Environmental Protection Act: 2 (1) (a) (the Government of Canada shall) exercise its powers in a manner that protects the environment and human health, applies the precautionary principle that, where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation, and promotes and reinforces enforceable pollution prevention approaches.
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(j) protect the environment, including its biological diversity, and human health, from the risk of any adverse effects of the use and release of toxic substances, pollutants and wastes.
Whereas the Government of Canada will endeavour to remove threats to biological diversity through pollution prevention, the control and management of the risk of any adverse effects of the use and release of toxic substances, pollutants and wastes, and the virtual elimination of persistent and bioaccumulative toxic substances.
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Ontario’s Endangered Species Act– Prohibits the damage and destruction of the habitat of endangered and threatened species, some of which carry out life processes in wetlands.
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Canadian Environmental Assessment Act- …. federal authorities and responsible authorities…. must exercise their powers in a manner that protects the environment and human health and applies the precautionary principle. 4(1)(a) …to protect the components of the environment…. from significant adverse environmental effects caused by a designated project.
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1.1.1 Provincial Policy Statement: c)…..avoiding development and land use patterns which may cause environmental or public health and safety concerns. h) promoting development and land use patterns that conserve biodiversity and consider the impacts of a changing climate. 2.2.1 Planning authorities shall protect, improve or restore the quality and quantity of water by: d. maintaining linkages and related functions among ground water features, hydrologic functions, natural heritage features and areas, and surface water features including shoreline areas.
Limerick Area Conservation Coalition 