Location matters.

Good afternoon. It is my pleasure to be before you today to convey the thoughts and ideas from the Ontario, Stone, Sand & Gravel' Association. OSSGA represents 265 member companies that produce over 70% of the stone, sand and gravel in Ontario.-­ Introducti,on The aggregate industry is a primary engine of economic growth and prosperity in the Province. Nothing gets built without aggregate-safe roads, power stations, municipal water supply systems, homes, schools, churches and hospitals. High quality aggregate products are the very foundation of the provincial economy. Stone, sand, and gravel are non-renewable resources-once depleted (or sterilized) they are gone forever. *" The provincial interest in aggregate resources is based on longstanding principles that have served Ontario well. We hope that this review does not change the main tenets of the provincial interest in aggregates that include provincial regulation and control, the protection of dwindling aggregate supplies for future extraction, and the concept of extracting non-renewable resources close to where they will be consume~ OSSGA understands that the last major revision to the ARA was in 1997 and that it is time to review the I! egislation again, but a review should not be used as a forum to undermine the provincial interest and to jeopardize the provincial economy. This review is an opportunity to rationalise and eliminate duplication of process and policy. There is an opportunity to make the application process more efficient, more transparent, more understandable and less bewildering for both proponents and opponents of new pits and quarries. When the ARA was introduced in the Legislature in 1989, it was hailed as leading edge environmentally focussed I: egisl: ation. While it may be time to undertake a review, please don't lose sight of what is working welL The ARA isn't Ibroken, but it does need updating. The location of ag:gregate resources is fixed. Stone, sand and gravel have to be extracted where they occur. It is not like other forms of development such as homes, stores or recreati' on areas that can be built in many different pl' aces.