As a member of the Concerned Residents Coalition (CRC) I was quite shocked and disappointed when I read the comments made by Greg Sweetam, VP of James Dick Construction Limited about our group’s efforts to understand and study the impact the Hidden Quarry will have on our community, the agri-food industry and more importantly one of our community’s thriving and incredibly successful companies W&T Mushroom Ltd.
One of the major concerns of W&T Mushroom Ltd is the impact of increased levels of ambient dust that may carry mushroom pathogens such as green mold. The comment made by Mr. Sweetam that “there is no dust whatsoever” generated by the underwater mining that will be carried out at the site is clearly inaccurate. There will be dust generated as a result of the processing of the precious limestone bedrock that will be extracted “under water”. The additional comment by Mr. Sweetam that he has “never seen dust blow off a lake” is just plain silly. Limestone extraction and limestone processing cannot be “lumped” together. I would like Mr. Sweetam to explain to the CRC and the community how limestone can be crushed and processed “under water”. It is well known in the mining industry that crushing and processing as well as trucking of the processed limestone material generates dust. How much dust and its impact on mushroom production is yet to be determined. More importantly this dust contains silica that is known to have significant human health impacts. I believe that potentially increased ambient dust levels may affect the growth of mushrooms. Why? The owners of W&T Mushroom Ltd with decades of experience in growing mushrooms have stated this as a serious concern.
As a calf-cow operator living in close proximity to the proposed Hidden Quarry site I am also worried about water contamination, increased ambient dust levels and the potential impact of blasting on my young calves and cows. Children’s firecrackers exploding can cause a cattle stampede at my operation that usually results in property damage and has the potential to cause injury to my staff and young livestock. I am not sure what a dynamite blast will do. Certainly this activity cannot be a “little bump and its done” as suggested by Mr. Sweetam.
As a resident living in of this community for 45 years I am very worried about the impact of this quarry on my business, the environment and my health. In addition, Ontario’s agri-food sector contributes approximately $34 billion to the province’s economy and supports more than 740,000 jobs across Ontario. I would like to see W&T Mushroom Ltd continue operations and contribute significantly to this sector. As an individual and a member of the CRC I will continue to ask questions related to the proposed Hidden Quarry for my own benefit and the benefit of our community.
stephanie De Grandis