West Grey Council Seeks Provincial, County Input on Aggregate Policies
Conservation groups and industry lobbyists are clashing over West Grey’s proposed Interim Control Bylaw on gravel mining near the Saugeen River.
West Grey Council has deferred a decision on a staff report regarding options for creating local aggregate policies. Council directed staff to consult with Grey County, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and other ministries before reporting back on November 4.
The bylaw has been a central demand of the Saugeen Preservation Society Inc. (SPSI), which has been urging council since January to act on concerns about aggregate operations near the river. SPSI has pointed to the example of the Town of Muskoka Lakes, which has maintained restrictions on gravel pits in waterfront areas for more than two decades.
“We need made-in-West Grey policies, not made-at-Queen’s Park policies,” said Judi Smelko, chair of SPSI.
“The province already has control over the Aggregate Resources Act. Municipal policies are intended to reflect local priorities like protecting the Saugeen River—the heart of our drinking water and our tourism-based economy—with appropriate setbacks,” she added.
Conservation Groups vs. Industry
The debate has attracted attention beyond West Grey. The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), one of the province’s largest conservation organizations with more than 70,000 members, recently voiced support for an ICBL. The group cited the ecological significance of the Saugeen River and raised concerns about aggregate extraction nearby.
“Aggregate extraction this close to the Saugeen River is insane,” said OFAH Director Stu Patterson.
SPSI and local residents have been making similar arguments for months, warning that new gravel operations could endanger water quality, fisheries, tourism, and road infrastructure.
The organization has highlighted that West Grey already has 29 licensed pits with an annual capacity of more than seven million tonnes of gravel, while only 10 percent of that supply was extracted last year.
On the other side, the Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (OSSGA) has urged council to hold off on the ICBL. In its submission, the industry group argued that West Grey should wait to see how the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing responds to new aggregate policies in Caledon before taking local action.
Smelko countered that the delay serves industry interests rather than community needs. “West Grey has nothing to gain by waiting,” she said. “Community groups like SPSI play a vital role in balancing the scales that have been tipped in favour of the aggregate industry for decades.”
Ongoing Calls for Policy Updates
The ICBL proposal builds on a longer campaign by SPSI and other residents for updated aggregate policies. West Grey’s current framework relies on Grey County’s official plan and the 2004 Grey County Aggregate Resource Study. SPSI and allied groups have argued that the 20-year-old policy context is outdated and leaves gaps in protecting the Saugeen River.
Last December, SPSI publicly urged West Grey to follow Caledon’s lead in pausing new pit applications until municipal aggregate policies could be updated. In January, Smelko and fellow resident Sara Hopkins presented a delegation to council calling for the ICBL. At that meeting, Councillor Geoffrey Shea described the delegations as “intriguing and concerning,” and successfully moved for a staff report on the issue.
What Comes Next
Council’s decision to consult with the province extends the debate at least until November. Between now and then, advocacy from conservation groups, industry representatives, and local residents is expected to intensify.
For SPSI, the stakes remain high. “We will continue advocating for fair and responsible municipal policies that reflect local priorities, support a balanced economy, protect residents, the healthy longevity of the Saugeen River, and the future of West Grey,” Smelko said.
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