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Writer's pictureActon UP

Residents ‘Fed Up’ with Local Quarry

It seems some residents are frustrated with local quarry Dufferin Aggregates. Recently Acton UP has received multiple letters regarding the quarry, one letter from local resident “Trish” regarding the quarry reads,


“The residents who live close to the Acton Dufferin Quarry are simply fed up with the Dump truck driver’s lack of respect for the residents and the law. Also, the hours that the Quarry is permitted to run are not posted online or available for residents to find. Why is the Quarry permitted to run 5:45 am - 11:30 pm Monday through Saturday. The quarry has no regard for the residents who must hear their loud machinery working late into the night. Do the residents know that there are supposed to be meetings held by the Quarry for the community? We are supposed to be involved and yet nothing has been arranged since 2018.


The quarry's governing body, Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (NDMNRF), refuses to listen to the residents’ complaints. I have been in contact for 6 months to which nothing has changed. Others and I have been complaining to the Mayor, Halton

Police, our MPP, Ward 2 Councillors, and the Halton Traffic Coordinator to which no one seems to be making any significant changes. Dump trucks are spilling their loads, speeding, passing motorists who are already driving above the posted speed limits, driving on roads at times that they are not permitted, and the list continues. Limehouse has a small bridge over the train tracks and the dump trucks are constantly driving over it regardless of the signs posted “Maximum 10 tons” and a large sign of a “no trucks” symbol.


The issue is not just with the Dufferin Quarry, but also the fill site quarry on the east side of Fourth Line north of Glen Lawson. The trucks racing to dump a pile of dirt and take off are even more dangerous and even less courteous. Also, who is testing the soil being dumped? And what is the future of this quarry? My property borders theirs and I have received no notice of any changes happening to that land.


I also find it quite coincidental that for the previous 3 years that the quarries were not operating, there was a CONSTANT police presence doing speed enforcement on 4th line (3 locations) and on 17 sideroad at the Devereaux cemetery. Now that these quarries are operating at full tilt and these dump trucks are using our road recklessly, I have yet to see any police enforcing the laws. Is there some kind of connection we are missing?


With the election around the corner, I am curious to see if anything will change. We will have a new Mayor and 2 new Ward 2 councillors, will any of them listen and help the community have more peace and quiet and let us coexist with the quarry together? Large Corporations cannot be allowed to bully the community and do what they please.”



Acton UP sent Trish’s letter to Mayor Rick Bonnette for comment,


“Hello Chris. I was surprised to hear you received a letter from a resident about the quarry because my office has not received a complaint for almost 6 months. That complaint was from someone upset the gravel trucks are going down 4th line and that they should not be allowed but where else are they going to go as that is where the quarry is located.


I can appreciate that the resident is frustrated with the situation but the Town is limited in what it has the authority to do. Staff is in regular communications with the quarry operator and monitors their activity on the roadways on a regular basis. Dufferin has been very amenable to working together to address issues. Please know that enforcement for trucks who are speeding or using the roads in an inappropriate manner or time, is not conducted by the Town as this falls under the Highway Traffic Act. The municipality sets some of the policies but it is the police who enforce these rules and the Town does work with them regularly. (The Town can ticket for illegal parking but not for the other issues.)


I suggest that the resident contacts the quarry directly. Their hours of operation are posted on their website.


If the residents wishes to speak to staff about transportation issues, they may contact Maureen Van Ravens, Director of Transportation at maureenv@haltonhills.ca


Mayor”


Another similar complaint was sent by a local resident to Halton Police and Acton UP with pictures accompanying.


Sergeant Richard Dodds of Halton Regional Police responded to the complaint,


“Good afternoon,


The 1 District Response Unit (DRU) along with support of The Town of Halton Hills and the MTO ran a Commercial Motor Vehicle blitz on the 19th of September at Mold Master Sports Plex. As a result there were 24 inspections, 4 trucks were taken out of service for major defects, 32 Provincial offence Notices were issued and 9 warns were served. Please keep in mind that during this blitz, we would pull a vehicle over and immediately direct the driver to follow us to the inspection area. Our time on the traffic stop would be very short and we would leave the area with the Commercial Motor Vehicle.


We have also just completed a two day Commercial Motor Vehicle project which is one of the largest in Ontario at Mohawk Raceway on October 4th and 5th.


To follow up in your area the Regional Commercial Motor Vehicle Unit (RCMV) along with members of DRU have attended multiple times for enforcement. On the 3rd of October members of RCMV updated myself and Halton Hills staff stating… We have checked on this location on and off over the past few weeks. I haven’t seen anything over a pick up truck drive across the bridge.

It’s also a 10 ton bridge , not 5 ton as indicated in complaint. Average dump truck empty is about 12-13 T, so anything smaller then a dump truck such as a straight truck, school bus, cube van etc would all most likely be under the weight limit and permitted (weight wise, no truck route would still apply).


That is not to say that this is not happening. As your photographs show it is, and we will continue to attend and monitor the situation as well as enforcing the Highway Traffic Act along our roadways.


Thank you in advance,


Sgt Richard Dodds CD, SSM”


Acton UP contacted Dufferin Aggregates multiple times who has not responded for comment.

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