Current Application
The Burlington Quarry is located to the west of the hamlet of Mount Nemo in the City of Burlington. On May 14, 2020, Halton Region received an application from Nelson Aggregates to amend the 2009 Regional Official Plan to expand the Burlington Quarry by extending the license and extraction areas to the south and west of the existing quarry lands.
As part of its application, in the section pertaining to rehabilitation of lands used for aggregate extraction, Nelson Aggregates offers to donate their land at the end of the life of the quarry, proposed to be phased out in stages over 30 years. It has been suggested the rehabilitated quarry could be used as a large park in Halton.
The focus of the review for the Regional Official Plan Amendment application is on the range of potential impacts of an expanded quarry to the community, the environment and quality of life for residents directly affected by the proposed expansion. The proposed after-use of the quarry site as parkland is not part of the technical consideration for the amendment application.
Application Status
Halton Region deemed the application as complete on July 20, 2020. It is currently under review by Regional staff. The application is currently under technical review by Halton Region, City of Burlington, Conservation Halton, and Niagara Escarpment Commission staff through a Joint Agency Review Team (JART) framework. Halton Region continues to be engaged with Nelson Aggregate Co. through the JART process.
Regional Council is responsible for making a decision on the proposed Regional Official Plan Amendment. The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (external link), through the Aggregate Resources Act (external link) approval process, is ultimately responsible for making a decision on the quarry expansion.
Joint Agency Review Team (JART) Second Circulation (Ongoing)
Staff and peer reviewers from Halton Region, the City of Burlington, Conservation Halton and the Niagara Escarpment Commission are currently assessing updated information that was provided by Nelson Aggregates in June and July 2021 through JART Review.
This list will be updated as additional information arrives from the proponent and comments are completed by staff and peer reviewers:
- Agricultural Impact Assessment - Proponent response remains pending
- Air Quality - Proponent's Response to JART, July 2021 (PDF file)
- Blasting - Proponent's Response to JART, June 2021 (PDF file)
- Noise - Proponent's Response to JART, November 2021 (PDF file)
- Traffic Impact Assessment - Proponent's Response to JART, June 2021 (PDF file)
- Air Quality JART Comment Summary Table, January 2022 (PDF file)
- Peer Review Memo, Air Quality, Gray Sky Solutions, January 2022 (PDF file)
- Blasting JART Comment Summary Table, January 2022 (PDF file)
- Peer Review Report, Blast Impact, DST Consulting Engineers, January 2022 (PDF file)
- Noise JART Comment Summary Table, May 2022 (PDF file)
- Traffic Impact JART Comment Summary Table, December 2021 (PDF file)
- Peer Review Report, Traffic Impact, CIMA+, January 2022 (PDF file)
- City of Burlington, Noise Review Comments, March 2022 (PDF file)
- Peer Review, Noise Impact Assessment, J.E. Coulter Associates Limited, April 2022 (PDF file)
Site Plan Amendment Application comments
On November 4, 2021, Halton Region, the City of Burlington, Conservation Halton, and the Niagara Escarpment Commission received a circulation from Nelson Aggregate Co. regarding a proposed Site Plan Amendment to the licence for the current operation. The general intent of the amendment is to allow for the integration of the entire site as a single operation, including some setback eliminations on the current site and to change the after-use of the existing operation to active parkland alongside the proposed expansion areas.
On December 8, 2021, Halton staff provided comments back to the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry in response to the Site Plan Amendment Application. The comments outline a series of concerns related to the proposed Site Plan Amendment for the existing quarry. These concerns were informed by the review of technical reports and studies submitted in support of the application by staff and retained consultants. Halton Region posted the same information to Environmental Registry of Ontario posting 019-4921 (external link) on February 8, 2022.
Download a copy of the application, letter and comments:
Niagara Escarpment Plan Amendment Comments
On April 26, 2021, Halton staff provided comments to the Niagara Escarpment Commission in response to the Environmental Registry of Ontario posting # 019-3215. The comments outline a series of concerns related to the proposed quarry expansion. These concerns were informed by the review of technical reports and studies submitted in support of the application by staff and retained consultants.
On May 14, 2021, Halton Region issued comments to the NEC in response to the NEC’s agency circulation. The comment letter reflected the content posted to the Environmental Registry of Ontario.
Download a copy of the comments:
JART Agencies and Additional Applications Filed
Halton Region 45-day Objection Letter
On December 14, 2020, the Region’s Chief Planning Official issued a Letter of Objection to the Aggregate Resources Act Licence Application outlining a series of concerns related to the proposed quarry expansion. Concerns identified in this letter were informed by the review of technical reports and studies submitted in support of the application by staff and retained consultants. The same concerns were submitted on December 18, 2020, in response to the Environmental Registry of Ontario posting # 019-2698.
Download a copy of the letter:
Joint Agency Review Team (JART) First Circulation (Complete)
Staff and peer reviewers from Halton Region, the City of Burlington, Conservation Halton and the Niagara Escarpment Commission completed the first round of technical review of the reports submitted by Nelson Aggregates in 2020 and 2021 through JART review. The following detailed comments were delivered to Nelson Aggregates upon completion of that first circulation technical review.
- Natural Heritage JART Comment Summary Table Burlington (Nelson) Quarry (PDF file)
- Hydrogeology JART Comment Summary Table Burlington (Nelson) Quarry (PDF file)
- Surface Water JART Comment Summary Table Burlington (Nelson) Quarry (PDF file)
- Progressive and Final Rehabilitation Monitoring JART Comment Summary Table Burlington (Nelson) Quarry (PDF file)
- AMP JART Comment Summary Table Burlington (Nelson) Quarry (PDF file)
- Technical Comment Letter, Environment and Water Resources, Conservation Halton (PDF file)
- Peer Review Letter, Level 1 and Level 2 Natural Environment Technical Report, North South Environmental (PDF file)
- Peer Review Letter, Fisheries Impacts, Matrix Solutions Inc. (PDF file)
- Peer Review Letter, Hydrogeology, Surface Water, AMP, Rehabilitation, Norbert M. Woerns (PDF file)
- Peer Review Letter, Environment and Water Studies, Daryl W. Cowell and Associates Inc. (PDF file)
- Peer Review Letter, Hydrogeological and Hydrological Impact Assessment, S.S. Papadopulos (PDF file)
- Peer Review Letter, Surface Water Assessment, wood. (PDF file)
Public Consultations
Statutory Public Meeting - Nelson Aggregate Co. Burlington Quarry Expansion:
Application September 15, 2021
Halton Region hosted a Statutory Public Meeting on September 15, 2021. The purpose of the Statutory Public Meeting was to provide the public with the opportunity to provide comments to Regional Council on the proposed Amendment filed by the applicant Nelson Aggregate Co. to amend the Regional Official Plan to expand the Burlington Quarry.
View a recording of the meeting:
Virtual Public Consultation: December 10, 2020
Halton Regional Council passed a motion on November 25, 2020, that among other things, directed staff to contact Nelson Aggregate Co. to schedule and support the delivery of a virtual public information session for the ARA Licence application.
A virtual public consultation was held on Thursday, December 10, 2020. The event was held in response to the resolution unanimously adopted by Regional Council on November 25, 2020.
This virtual public consultation was recorded and included a brief presentation from Nelson Aggregate’s project team that was followed by a Question-and-Answer period.
Download a copy of the presentations:
Download a copy of the transcribed Question and Answers:
View a recording of the PIC:
MNRF Notice of Complete Application
On Thursday, October 29, 2020, Nelson Aggregates posted a notice in the Burlington Post of the first 45-day review period. It indicated that materials were posted on their project website (external link) and that their consultant team is available for direct questions. The applicant has indicated there will be no public information session during this 45-day review period. The deadline for filing letter of objection with Nelson Aggregates and MNRF is December 14, 2020.
Submission Materials
The following materials were submitted with the application on May 14, 2020 (or alternate date, if applicable):
- Agricultural Impact Assessment, Nelson Aggregate Co. Burlington Quarry Expansion, MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Limited, April 2020 (PDF file)
- Stage 1-2 Archaeological Assessment, Golder Associates Ltd., March 23, 2020 (PDF file)
- Archaeological Assessment (Stages 1, 2 & 3), Nelson Aggregates Quarry Expansion, Archaeologix Inc., August 2003 (PDF file)
- Archaeological Assessment (Stage 4), Nelson Aggregates Quarry Expansion, Archaeologix Inc., August 2004 (PDF file)
- Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment Report, Burlington Quarry Extension, MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Limited, April 2020 (PDF file)
- Visual Impact Assessment Report, Proposed Extension of the Burlington Quarry, MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Limited, April 2020 (PDF file)
- Level 1 and Level 2 Natural Environment Technical Report, Proposed Burlington Quarry Extension, Nelson Aggregates Co., Savanta, April 2020 (PDF file)
- Level 1 and Level 2 Hydrogeological and Hydrological Impact Assessment Report of the Proposed Burlington Quarry Extension, Nelson Aggregates Co., EarthFX Incorporated, April 2020 (PDF file)
- Burlington Quarry Extension Surface Water Assessment, Nelson Aggregate Co., Tatham Engineering, April 2020 (PDF file)
- Karst investigations and conceptual model of the bedrock at the proposed Nelson Quarry extensions, Stephen R.H. Worthington, Worthington Groundwater, April 25,2020 (Found in Appendix B of Level 1 and Level 2 Hydrogeological and Hydrological Impact Assessment Report of the Proposed Burlington Quarry Extension, Nelson Aggregates Co., EarthFX Incorporated, April 2020) (PDF file)
- Adaptive Management Plan, Proposed Burlington Quarry Extension, Nelson Aggregates Co., EarthFX Incorporated, Savanta, and Tatham Engineering, April 2020 (PDF file)
- Progressive and Final Rehabilitation Monitoring Study, Burlington Quarry Extension, MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Limited, April 2020 (PDF file)
- Noise Impact Assessment, Nelson Aggregate Quarry Extension, Burlington, Ontario, HGC Engineering, April 2020 (PDF file)
- Blast Impact Analysis, Burlington Quarry Extension, Explotech Engineering Ltd., April 2020 (PDF file)
- Air Quality Study for Nelson Aggregate Co. Burlington Quarry Extension, BCX Environmental Consulting, March 2020 (PDF file)
Previous Application (2004-2012)
In 2004, and revised in 2006 and 2008, Nelson Aggregates filed applications to amend the Regional Official Plan in order to re-designate lands and permit expansion to the south of the quarry. At its meeting in October 2009, Regional Council did not support the Regional Official Plan Amendment application and advised the Joint Board. In 2012, the Joint Board Hearing denied the application.
The following reports relate to the 2004-2012 application:
Staff Contact
The staff contact for this project is:
Janice Hogg, Senior Planner
Janice.Hogg@halton.ca
905-825-6000, ext. 2921
Planning Fax: 905-825-8822
Toll-free Tel: 1-866-4HALTON (1-866-442-5866)
TTY: 905-827-9833