Municipal Action Plan
Our Municipal Action Plan empowers residents and municipal leaders to work together to protect communities from gravel mining. It is a step-by-step handbook that includes resources to help you advocate for stronger aggregate bylaws, from draft resolutions to case studies and more.
The main tactic presented in the Municipal Action Plan is a planning tool called an Interim Control Bylaw (ICBL), which can be used to press pause on new gravel mining approvals for 1 - 2 years. The goal of a pause is for municipalities to work with residents to review and strengthen local gravel mining policies.
If you would like support in considering or implementing the Municipal Action Plan in your community, please contact our team.
DOWNLOAD THE MUNICIPAL ACTION PLAN
Caledon uses Municipal Action Plan
to win landmark reforms
The movement to reform gravel mining in Ontario achieved a significant victory when the Town of Caledon approved groundbreaking policies to protect residents’ health and the environment from aggregate extraction. The recently passed policies set standards for gravel mining that are stricter than provincial regulations, particularly when it comes to limiting dangerous air pollution and protecting essential water resources and woodlands. The Forks of the Credit Preservation Group (FCPG) worked hand in hand with RGMC and Caledon's Council to achieve these reforms, which set a precedent for municipalities across Ontario.
Most notably—and in what is believed to be a first in Canada—Caledon adopted the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2021 global air quality standards for particulate matter (PM 2.5). PM 2.5 is a known carcinogen found in the dust that spreads from aggregate mines over schoolyards and crop fields, increasing the risk of disease and mortality in surrounding communities.
The achievement in Caledon shows the Interim Control Bylaw (ICBL) is an effective tool for minimizing the harmful impacts of gravel mining. We stand ready to support any municipality or residents' group that would like to follow Caledon's example and strengthen protections from gravel mining in your community - get in touch today!
Read our full statement to learn more about Caledon's new bylaws.