From the Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association:
The Reform Gravel Mining Coalition’s recent article on the Muskoka aggregate appeal doesn’t just get the facts wrong — it risks misleading Ontarians about something far bigger: the foundation of how we build our homes, roads, hospitals and communities.
Ontario’s future quite literally rests on stone, sand and gravel. These aren’t abstract resources; they are the roads our kids take to school, the hospitals we turn to in emergencies and the homes our families hope to afford. Without reliable access to close to-market aggregate, these projects become slower, more expensive and sometimes impossible to deliver.
Yes, Ontario has abundant resources underground. But not all deposits are equal — and not all are accessible. Provincial policy recognizes this and requires that known mineral resource areas be protected for long-term use. Yet even when the science is clear, approvals can take a decade or more. Adding arbitrary barriers — like a blanket two kilometre setback from every water body in Muskoka — makes a difficult situation impossible. If every municipality followed Muskoka’s lead, Ontario’s supply chain would collapse.
The reality is stark: licensed reserves are shrinking faster than they are replaced. Forcing projects farther from market means higher costs, heavier truck traffic and greater greenhouse gas emissions. That’s not protecting the environment or communities — that’s undermining them.
And let’s be clear: Ontario’s aggregate industry is one of the most heavily regulated in the world, governed by more than 25 pieces of legislation. Pits and quarries operate safely, cleanly and responsibly. There is no credible evidence that they harm communities or the treasured waterfronts of Muskoka Lakes. What there is evidence of is this: without local supply, taxpayers pay more, projects stall and emissions rise.
The stakes could not be higher. Restrictive policies like Muskoka’s will:
• Drive up the cost of housing and infrastructure
• Drain local economies of investment and jobs
• Leave taxpayers footing higher bills for roads and maintenance
This is why aggregate is recognized as a matter of provincial interest. It is not optional. It is essential.
Disagreements like this are exactly why the Ontario Land Tribunal exists — to settle disputes based on evidence, not politics or rhetoric. If municipalities can both pass restrictive policies and block the Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association from defending the facts before the tribunal, then we are not only facing an aggregate supply crisis, but also a crisis of fairness and democracy.
Ontario deserves better. Ontarians deserve the truth. And most of all, Ontarians deserve a future where housing is attainable, infrastructure is reliable and our economy remains strong — a future that cannot exist without access to the very resources that build it.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox six times per week!
Click here to support local news
Speaking from rural Ontario, I want to correct some misleading impressions in this article.
OSSGA often points to schools, hospitals, and roads as justification for the automatic approval of new aggregate licenses. But in rural Ontario, that argument doesn’t fit. We aren’t building new schools or hospitals, many are closing and our roads are barely maintained. The issue isn’t a gravel shortage but a lack of funding. Gravel trucks cause significant damage to rural roads and bridges, yet levies are nowhere near enough to cover repairs (see tapmo.ca )
The 2-kilometre setback in Muskoka, dismissed here as arbitrary, has been in place for 20 years. It protects Muskoka’s environment-based tourism, a cornerstone of the local economy, and has not hindered meeting local demand. You frame the issue through the lens of the GTA and Greater Golden Horseshoe, but regions like Muskoka and Grey-Bruce aren’t supplying those markets. Industry itself defines “close to market” as 35 km and our local supplies comfortably meet our needs.
Ontario’s aggregate industry is heavily regulated for a reason: it is the most destructive land use we permit. Berms may hide the scars, but extraction leaves long-term impacts. At the Nelson Pit hearing on Mount Nemo, evidence was presented of wells being affected, proof impacts extend well beyond berms.
Rural Ontario shoulders the lasting costs: every pit truck degrades local roads, with municipalities paying the bill. It’s long past time to strike a better balance between municipal needs, community health, and aggregate extraction.
Ontario is made of stone, sand and gravel, only 5% of the province is prime farmland. Municipalities have the legal authority under the Planning Act to weigh in on issues of siting and compatibility. A 2 km setback from waterfronts is reasonable. How many Muskoka residents want to see and hear a blasting quarry?
The industry lies are disturbing.
A recent provincial supply study found there is billions of tonnes of licenced aggregate in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area, a 38 year supply. Outside of the GTHA thousands of gravel mines are licenced or permitted to dig up billions more tonnes. There is no supply crisis.
There is sand, stone and gravel under most of Ontario. Should all rural land be frozen for mining aggregate? People choose Muskoka for its beauty and clean water resources. A 2 km setback from waterfronts is a smart policy that has been in place for 20 years.
Protecting the Muskoka water resources is key to its tourism economy. Don’t let the gravel mining industry destroy the future of Muskoka.
I fully agree. So nice to hear facts and reality.