The Council of Canadians Guelph chapter is hosting a panel discussion at Harcourt Memorial United Church, 87 Dean Avenue here on June 3 at 7pm – right in the middle of Canadian Environment Week.
The evening is a townhall meeting on growth, gravel and groundwater. Expert panelists will discuss the impact of quarries, pipelines, roads, and new-building on our future sustainability within the city and Grand River watershed.
Are there problems ahead for us? Food security? Water Security? Can plans be altered?
Ever increasing demand for gravel, limestone and concrete for more and bigger roads and new-builds is taking precedence over our prime agricultural soil and the capacity to grow much of our food within the 100 mile diet.
Attendees will discuss the threats and possibilities for modifications to existing land use practices.
The Council of Canadians-Guelph chapter has confirmed panelists from:
– GravelWatchOntario representing two activist groups (gravelwatch.org) who have won Ontario Municipal Board hearings in their opposition to aggregate companies, and FORCE (Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment);
– and CARRA Cranberry Area Ratepayers and Residents Association;
– Grand River Environmental Network on the proposed Grand River water pipeline to Lake Erie (www.gren.ca). The Guelph Water Supply master plan states that “a final decision be reached by 2010 as the Great Lakes supply discussion moves forward (www.guelph.ca);
– North Dufferin Agriculture and community taskforce opposing the giant quarry above Luther Marsh, at the top of the headwaters (www.ndact.com); and
– hydrological engineering professional Dr. Hugh Whiteley;
There will be a question and answer session for other growth concerns that can cause dramatic negative changes to current lifestyles.