NEWS RELEASE
SMALL CHANGE FUND
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The scheduled three-month Nelson Aggregates Ontario Land Tribunal (“OLT”) hearing launched several weeks ago, with the testimony of Nelson’s planner Brian Zeman. Zeman testified that the proposed 29-million tonnes of limestone are “needed” in Halton, but admitted in cross-examination by CORE/PERL’s lawyer David Donnelly that he could not show how much new limestone was actually needed in Halton Region.
Zeman has supported numerous quarry applications over several decades.
Considering the recent Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) decision that rejected CBM Aggregates’ appeal of an Interim Control By-law (“ICBL”) in neighboring Caledon, where “need” for new aggregate was a central issue, Burlington residents are now seeking similar scrutiny regarding Nelson Aggregates proposed 76.9-hectare (50ha extraction) quarry expansion at Mount Nemo.
The March 2025 ruling in Caledon emphasized the lack of evidence supporting claims of aggregate shortages in the GTA. This position fundamentally undermines Nelson’s justification for encroaching on the health and safety of a well-established residential community location on the Niagara Escarpment, and a UNESCO world biosphere reserve.
While the single study Nelson performed shows Nelson needs more aggregate to sell to customers in Halton Region, there is no evidence of an industry-wide shortage.
Like the persuasive argument the OLT used to dismiss CBMs appeal of an ICBL decision, Halton Region’s 2023 technical review concluded that existing aggregate reserves far exceed Ontario’s annual aggregate consumption of 165 million tonnes, revealing no proven necessity for additional extraction capacity. Zeman did not provide a response to the Auditor General’s December 2023 state of the aggregate industry review, which dismissed industry’s claims we are running out of rock.
This reality supports the concerns that Burlington residents have regarding the unnecessary environmental impacts of the proposed expansion. The volume of rock to be taken from the Mount Nemo (part of the Greenbelt) is approximately 12.5 million cubic metres, or approximately enough rock to fill 5,000 Olympic size swimming pools.
“This expansion threatens to industrialize a delicate ecosystem that jeopardizes confirmed Jefferson Salamander habitats, increases the risk of groundwater contamination and threatens human health and safety from blasting flyrock and toxic dust emission—all based on an exaggerated narrative of scarcity,” stated Gord Pinard, a spokesperson for CORE Burlington. “We urge the OLT to uphold its own precedent and reject this application. We are committed to ensuring that Burlington is not sacrificed for an industry holding more than 38 years’ worth of unused reserves, including local “close to market” supply,” added Pinard.
It is notable that in May 2024, Burlington Council passed a unanimous motion condemning the expansion project. Council members highlighted the potential threats to 12 wetlands and the Bronte Creek watershed, as well as air quality risks associated with PM2.5 particulate matter that would exceed World Health Organization guidelines. Halton Region recently passed two Resolutions of Council unanimously calling for stricter air quality standards for quarries like Nelson Aggregates, and called on Premier Ford to stop issuing Endangered Species Act Overall Benefit Permits (“pay to slay”) in the Greenbelt.
Moreover, concerns were raised about Nelson’s failure to provide a credible rehabilitation plan after quarrying.
The OLT hearing can be watched online here.
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