Call for Source Water Protection Volunteers
The Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) is requesting volunteers to represent the aggregate industry on the

• Mississippi Rideau Source Protection Committee;
• Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority Low Water Response Team; and,
• Conservation Halton Low Water Response Team

Qualifications:

• An understanding of the local aggregate industry and operations (i.e., a pit or quarry manager),
• an appreciation for the local community and good interpersonal skills,
• A technical background in water resources is not necessary, but would be an asset.

OSSGA will provide training materials and ongoing technical support to the successful candidate so they can participate in a meaningful way.

Background
Mississippi Rideau Source Protection Committee
The Clean Water Act requires Source Protection Committees (SPCs) to prepare a Terms of Reference, an Assessment Report and a Source Protection Plan for their Source Protection Region to protect municipal drinking water sources. SPCs comprise representatives from local municipalities, industry and the public, and are required to identify, assess and address risks to drinking water within the municipal wellhead and intake protection areas.

A key focus of the Clean Water Act is that the Assessment Reports and Source Protection Plans are science-based and locally developed and delivered.

Meetings are generally held once a month at a variety of locations, including Manotick, Carleton Place, Ottawa, Perth and Smiths Falls.

Ontario Low Water Response Plan
The Ontario Low Water Response Plan (OLWR) was developed in 1999, implemented in 2000 and revised in 2003 to ensure that provincial and local authorities are advised of and prepared to take action in the event of low water conditions in provincial watersheds. Three water level conditions, Levels I, II and III, are defined using specific precipitation and streamflow indicators.

The role of the Low Water Response Team is to provide leadership and direction to conservation authorities and provincial agencies in the event of low water conditions.

Please forward your expression of interest and qualifications to OSSGA Environment & Resources Manager Jessica Annis.

Implementation of the Endangered Species Act, 2007
With respect to the The Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA), which came into effect June 30, 2008, the Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) recommends the following:

• Operators in possession of a licence, wayside permit and/or aggregate permit initiate field work assessments in the near future so that, if necessary, they may apply for and obtain approvals for regulation agreements pursuant to the Ontario Regulation 232/08, prior to the June 30, 2010 deadline.
• When planning a new pit or quarry, applicants obtain the best available information to determine if the proposed project will have any adverse effects on protected species and/or the habitat of protected species.

The ESA establishes obligations for landowners, including permit and licence holders, when planning or conducting activities on the land, including aggregate extraction and rehabilitation, that may have adverse effects on protected species and/or the habitat of protected species.

Key Components

• Pursuant to Ontario Regulation 230/08 Species at Risk in Ontario List, the ESA establishes the Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List. The SARO List identifies species that have been assessed and classified as extirpated, endangered or threatened by the Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO).
• Section 9 of the ESA establishes prohibitions against killing, harming, harassing, capturing, possessing, transporting, collecting, buying and selling, leasing, trading or offering to buy, sell, lease or trade extirpated, endangered and threatened species as identified on the SARO List.
• Section 10 of the ESA establishes prohibitions against damaging or destroying the habitat of extirpated, endangered or threatened species as identified on the SARO List.

The ESA provides flexibility through provisions which enable the use of regulation agreements, permits and regulations to authorize activities which would otherwise be prohibited. Aggregate activities that will adversely effect protected species or the habitat of protected species cannot proceed until an authorization under the ESA has been obtained. Activities on all or part of a site that do not adversely affect protected species or the habitat of protected species may continue.

Implementation
Transition
Ontario Regulation 242/08 General articulates how transition and other issues are to be addressed and provides aggregate operators an opportunity to enter into regulation agreements with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) provided that the operator is in possession of a permit or licence granted pursuant to the Aggregate Resources Act that was approved prior to June 30, 2008, and the stewardship agreement is approved prior to June 30, 2010.

Stewardship Agreements
Operators of qualifying pits or quarries may enter into a stewardship agreement with the Minister of Natural Resources to allow continued operation, provided that in the opinion of the Minister:

• The agreement requires the person who operates the pit or quarry to take reasonable steps to minimize adverse effects on the species;
• If the agreement is complied with, the operation of the pit or quarry will not jeopardize the survival or recovery of the species in Ontario; and,
• The agreement does not conflict with the obligation of the Minister to ensure the implementation of any action that the provincial government intends to take in response to the recovery strategy for the species.

Regulation agreements may contain multiple species and can be negotiated for any length of time. Pits or quarries subject to a stewardship agreement will not require a permit for those species or areas of habitat that are described in the regulation agreement.

Permits
Subsequent to June 30, 2010, if an adverse effect to a protected species or the habitat of a protected species (that is not identified in an approved regulation agreement) is identified as being caused by an activity on the site and it cannot be avoided, operators will be required to apply for and obtain a permit pursuant to Ontario Regulation 232/08 prior to the activity continuing/taking place.

To obtain a permit pursuant to Ontario Regulation 232/08, an applicant must demonstrate that:

• An overall benefit to the species will be achieved within a reasonable time through requirements imposed by the conditions of the permit;
• Reasonable alternatives have been considered, including alternatives that would not adversely affect the species and the best alternative has been adopted; and,
• Reasonable steps to minimize adverse effects on individual members of the species are required by conditions of the permit.

Information
The Natural Heritage Information Centre (NHIC) is the provincial government's central database for reported sightings of species at risk. Applicants and landowners are being encouraged by MNR to use the NHIC to research documented occurrences of species at risk, with the understanding that the database does not represent a complete record of all species at risk occurrences in Ontario. The NHIC database is routinely updated when new information becomes available.

Since comprehensive mapping of the habitat of most extirpated, endangered and threatened species is not available, applicants and landowners are encouraged to carry out a preliminary ecological site assessment to determine if there is a potential occurrence of a protected species or protected habitat on their lands, before carrying out an activity that may contravene the ESA.

Application Review Process
Timelines
The timelines associated with obtaining a regulation agreement or permit will vary, depending on the complexity of the application. Currently, it takes a minimum of three months to acquire a regulation agreement or permit.

Other Approvals
Regulation agreements and permits involving protected species or the habitat of protected species on Crown land or protected animals on private land are subject to MNR's Class Environmental Assessment for Resource Stewardship and Facility Development. In more complex cases, there may be additional requirements (i.e., consultation) under MNR's Class Environmental Assessment.

Costs
Currently, MNR is not charging a fee to review or process regulation agreements or permits pursuant to Ontario Regulation 232/08. Costs associated with site assessment, inventory, monitoring or assessment work, and to comply with the conditions of approved regulation agreements and permits are the responsibility of the applicant.

Enforcement
In general, MNR staff does not have rights of entry onto private property. Exceptions include the authority granted to enforcement officers to enter for certain enforcement actions and to ensure compliance with a regulation agreement or permit granted pursuant to Ontario Regulation 232/08.

Existing Licences/Permits
Terms and conditions of existing licence/permits and/or site plans relating to the protection of protected species and the habitat of protected species do not exempt operators from the obligations imposed by the ESA.

Legal Obligations
The ESA does not obligate landowners, including operators, to report species at risk on their property. However, alerting MNR of an occurrence of a protected species and/or protected habitat and undertaking discussions with staff can help ensure that current or future activities on your property will not result in an adverse effect on the species, which is an offence under the ESA.

Funding
If you discover a species at risk on your property and are interested in undertaking an activity that benefits the species, you may be eligible for funding under the MNR Species at Risk Stewardship Fund.

Transparency
Most agreements and permits will be posted on the Environmental Registry, pursuant to the Environmental Bill of Rights.

For more information, please visit Species at Risk - MNR or contact the Natural Resources Information Centre at 1(800) 667-6072 or mnr.nric@ontario.ca.

Bill 167: Proposed Toxics Reduction Act, 2009
The Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) has been following the development of Bill 167, the proposed Toxics Reductions Act, 2009 as it progresses through the legislative review and public consultation process.

Bill 167 establishes a framework for the reduction of the use and emissions of toxics by industry. If passed as currently drafted, Bill 167 would require facilities, identified in Regulation, to:

• Track and quantify the toxic substances used and created at the facility;
• Prepare a toxic substance reduction plan for each toxic substance used or created at the facility, and have the plan certified both by the highest ranking employee at the facility with management responsibilities and by a proposed toxics reduction planner;
• Prepare summaries of the plans and make them available to the public in accordance with regulations;
• Report to the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) on their progress in reducing toxic substances and make certain information available to the public in accordance with regulations; and,
• Report to MOE on any substances of concern used or created at the facility (likely to be a one-time information gathering exercise).

The MOE, through its Discussion Paper - "Creating Ontario's Toxics Reduction Strategy", released in August 2008, proposed to exempt the aggregates industry from the application of legislative requirements of the provincial government's Toxics Reduction Strategy, but it has recently come to the OSSGA's attention that there is a chance the industry may be captured by subsequent Regulations and subject to the Act. The OSSGA is working with the Toxics Reduction Team at MOE, which is responsible for implementing the Strategy. The OSSGA has made it clear to MOE that this is a duplication of process and that the industry should be exempt as proposed by MOE in the Discussion Paper.

Bill 167 Received First Reading on April 7, Second Reading on May 5, and was referred to the Standing Committee on General Government for public consultation. Bill 167 is posted on the EBR. The submission deadline is May 7.

Comments are welcome on the proposed legislation through the EBR, Registry Number: 010-6224 (the OSSGA has submitted written comments May 4). However, Bill 167, as currently drafted, does not identify the facilities that will be subject to the Act. These will be identified in Regulation. The MOE has committed to further consultation with stakeholders on the development of the Regulations.

The OSSGA will be closely monitoring the development of the proposed Act and subsequent Regulations, and will notify members of any significant developments of this initiative that may affect the industry.

For more information, please contact Jessica Annis.

Attention OSSGA Associate Members: P.Geos Required
In parts of Ontario recently designated under the Aggregate Resources Act, existing operations are being grandfathered under the Act and must produce site plans as part of the grandfathering process. For sites mining below the water table, the elevation of the water table must be established.

Members of the Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) in the newly designated areas have requested OSSGA staff create a list of Associate members interested in undertaking this work (a P.Geo designation is required).

To be added to the list, interested (and qualified) candidates can contact Moreen Miller at (905) 507-0711 ext. 1.

For more information, please see the link to the guideline as developed by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Member Photos Sought for OSSGA Publications
The Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) needs your help to showcase the industry's good news stories.

OSSGA member pit and quarry operators, as well as suppliers are encouraged to submit before and after photographs depicting outstanding examples of rehabilitation to be featured in upcoming OSSGA publications.

One of the best submissions will be included on the cover of the 2009/2010 OSSGA Commercial Directory - Source Book.

Please forward samples to Marta Blocki (jpegs preferred, no larger than 5MB).

Please note that while submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis for various upcoming projects, to be considered for the cover of the directory, photos must be delivered no later than Friday, May 8 by 4:30 p.m.

For more information, please call Marta at (905) 507-0711 ext. 4.

OSSGA Member Companies Collect NSSGA Awards
Congratulations to Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) member companies CBM Aggregates, Dufferin Aggregates and Lafarge Canada Inc. for receiving top honours at the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association's (NSSGA) 2009 convention in Orlando, FL March 9-12.

The awards were presented for activities that have enhanced the image of the aggregates industry during 2007-2008, such as environmental stewardship, commitment to safety and community involvement.

For more information please visit www.nssga.org.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

ACTIVE MEMBER
Danijela Franco
Cambridge Aggregates Inc.
2000 Argentia Rd., Plaza #3, Suite 270
Mississauga, ON L5N 1P7
(905) 826-4333
Products/Services: Sand & Gravel Pit

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Melissa Brears
Farrish Crushing Inc.
P.O. Box 4
Listowel, ON N4W 3H2
(519) 291-3730
Products/Services: Crushing & screening

Dave Ciszczon
Polydeck Screen Corporation
1790 Dewberry Rd.
Spartanburg, SC 29307
1 (864) 579-4594
Products/Services: Synthetic, modular screen media & frame systems

Bill Kester
Aggregate Processing Services Ltd.
669 Charles St. East
Kitchener, ON N2H 6S9
(519) 570-2844
Products/Services: Portable custom crushing & screening, portable custom washing & classifying

Jay Marteniuk
Schlumberger Water Services
460 Phillip St., Suite 101
Waterloo, ON N2L 5J2
(519) 746-1798 ext. 298
Products/Services: Technologies, products & consulting services specific to ground & surface water

David F. McKay
The Base Mapping Co. Ltd.
37-81 Auriga Dr.
Ottawa, ON K2E 7V3
(613) 723-8100
Products/Services: Aerial survey, site plans, volume calculations, GIS, imagery & various CADD deliverables

Andrew Pentney
Groundwater Science Corp.
24 Erb St. East
Waterloo, ON N2J 1L6
(519) 746-6916
Products/Services: Hydrogeologic consulting, level 1 & 2 assessments, environmental impact studies, permit to take water applications, groundwater compliance monitoring

Stephen Riesberry
Power Plant Supply
140 Midwest Rd., Unit 12
Scarborough, ON M1P 3B3
(416) 752-3339
Products/Services: Permanent magnetic couplings for conveyors & crushers

Chris Taplay
Benshaw Advanced Controls & Drives
550 Bright St. East
Listowel, ON N4W 3W3
(519) 291-5112
Products/Services: Motor control products - soft starters, variable speed drives, full voltage starters

'Movin' On Up' Product Marketing Seminar
May 27, 2009
Barrie, ON

Information & Registration Package

First Nations Consultation Forum
May 28, 2009
Mississauga, ON

Information & Registration Package

OSSGA Baseball Tournament
June 6, 2009
Town of Lincoln, ON

Information & Registration Package

OSSGA Tree Planting
June 27, 2009
Lafarge Canada Inc.

OSSGA Golf Tournament
July 9, 2009
Kettleby, ON

Sponsorship Package Only

For additional information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Laura Parsons, Conference and Special Event Planner.

OTHER EVENTS

MASHA 2009 Spring Blitz
May 12-14
Northern Ontario

For more courses or additional information, please contact Jean Chadbourn, Administrative Assistant - Field Services MASHA, 690 McKeown Avenue, Box 2050, North Bay, ON P1B 9P1
P: (705) 474-7233, ext. 279
F: (705) 472-5800
www.masha.on.ca

Carden Nature Festival
June 5-7
Carden, ON

Join staff from Dufferin Aggregates for an overview of the geology of the Carden Plain and learn about how the aggregate industry contributes to our strong and growing community.

For a complete list of activities, more information and to register, please visit www.cardenguide.com/index.php/carden-nature-festival.

IV International Industry Summit on Mining Perfomance
June 9-11
Toronto, ON

The 2009 conference will include presentations from industry leaders in key mining sectors — coal, metals, and nonmetallic minerals — as well as from customers, suppliers, and others with a keen interest in mining industry performance.

For more information, please e-mail ConferenceInfo1@outreach.psu.edu or call 800-PSU-TODAY (778-8632).

CLASSIFIEDS

Aggregate Truck Dispatcher
THE COMPANY (UNDISCLOSED)
With three decades of reputable limestone, sand and gravel supply service, we have grown steadily to serve the growing needs of the construction industry in the GTA. We have and continue to be known for our quality and superior customer service.

THE POSITION
The dispatcher is responsible for ensuring the highest customer service for the aggregate business by organizing and scheduling the deployment of drivers and trucks to customer job sites, within the GTA, in a time-efficient manner.

IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will have 1-3 years experience in the aggregate industry, will have experience as a dispatcher, and will possess the following skills: teamwork, problem solving, excellent customer service, communication.

HOW TO APPLY/ENQUIRE
Fax cover letter and resumes to (905) 738-5228. This position is located in Concord, ON.

Your Feedback
For comments on this bulletin or for further information, please contact Marta Blocki.