The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has released ERO # 019-1680 that opens a consultation period for changes to the Growth Plan.  Most of these changes relate to the building and development industry, but there was also an amendment with respect to aggregate.  The posting provides a 45-day comment period.

OSSGA had requested that the Growth Plan be made consistent with the NEP and PPS with respect to allowing for new extraction subject to the full force of the Endangered Species Act in endangered and threatened species habitat within the natural heritages system.  The proposed amendment does just that:

• The Province has proposed changes to the endangered and threatened species policies to permit NEW extraction in areas of endangered and threatened species in the NHS provided you can obtain an ESA permit or authorization. These amendments will ensure that  mineral aggregate operations are treated the same as all other forms of development and subject to the full force and effect of the Endangered Species Act which requires demonstration of overall benefit for endangered species. The Growth Plan will now have the same policy restrictions as the ESA, PPS and NEP.

Please contact Norm Cheesman for more information.