Two years after passing revisions to the Aggregate Resources Act, and 6 months after consultations began with the industry, the Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry [MNRF] posted amendments to the ARA Regulations and Standards.  These can be found on the ERO here.  In addition, a letter from Minister Yakabuski can be found here.

Changes made include:

• new and updated technical reports and information requirements for applications to establish a new pit or quarry including enhanced water study requirements
• updated site plan requirements for new pit and quarry applications
• enhanced notification and consultation requirements for new pit and quarry applications
• updated conditions that will apply to newly issued licences and permits
• new application requirements for existing pit or quarry operators wishing to make an amendment to extract below the water table or to expand into an adjacent road allowance
• new rules requiring custom plans to be prepared for applications seeking to extract from land under water
• exemptions from needing a licence for some small excavations on private land if rules set in regulation are followed
• new rules to allow self-filling of some minor routine site plan amendments (e.g. re-location of some structures or fencing as long as setbacks are respected) 
• updated operating requirements that apply to all pits and quarries authorized under the ARA
• updated annual compliance reporting requirements, including a streamlined report for inactive sites

OSSGA’s Land Use and Environment Committees will be reviewing the new Standards.

Thank you to all who provided input – by writing letters, emails and attending meetings – as we put the OSSGA position forward.

For more information or questions, please contact OSSGA Executive Director Norm Cheesman, at ncheesman@ossga.com.