La Vase Portages Request Support from Province of Ontario
October 17, 2009, in response to a proposed 21 year mining claim lease by an aggregate extraction development, Friends of La Vase Portages have formally requested the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines & Forest review the proponent application.
An aggregate extraction application is usually made through the Ministry of Natural Resources and requires public discussion before any permit will be considered.
La Vase Portages supporters are concerned that the mining claim is intended to tie up the property for 21 years without public input and full consideration of proposed conservation plans for the historic canoe route area.
MNDMF has been asked to reject the lease application and refer the applicant to the appropriate aggregate application process through the MNR. Further, that a 5 year moratorium on any mining or aggregate extraction be granted and that Ontario Parks and the Ministry of Culture have the opportunity to comment on the heritage value of the Crown Lands to the community, Province and indeed Canada as part of the nationally significant Voyageur canoe route.
Full text of the letter is posted below.
An aggregate extraction application is usually made through the Ministry of Natural Resources and requires public discussion before any permit will be considered.
La Vase Portages supporters are concerned that the mining claim is intended to tie up the property for 21 years without public input and full consideration of proposed conservation plans for the historic canoe route area.
MNDMF has been asked to reject the lease application and refer the applicant to the appropriate aggregate application process through the MNR. Further, that a 5 year moratorium on any mining or aggregate extraction be granted and that Ontario Parks and the Ministry of Culture have the opportunity to comment on the heritage value of the Crown Lands to the community, Province and indeed Canada as part of the nationally significant Voyageur canoe route.
Full text of the letter is posted below.
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Please click on the above link if you can support our petition.
Open Letter to The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines & Forestry
Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forests,
Mining Recorders Office,
, ON
October 16, 2009
Re: Claim S1219532 - Ferris Township - Lot 30, Concession 16
We would like to register our concerns regarding the above mining claim with your office and request that the appropriate action be taken as detailed in this letter.
The proponent has had an ongoing interest in the property for a number of years. Our concern is that the interest in development is towards aggregate extraction, and that should more appropriately be dealt with by the Ministry of Natural Resources process and not as a mining claim/lease.
The claim area in question is the last remaining undeveloped section of the historic La Vase Portages canoe route. We believe this heritage site deserves strong public protection and conservation rather than the destruction of a cultural landscape that increased quarrying activity would bring to the area.
A number of conservation minded groups have been working towards the recognition and protection of this area over a number of years and we believe public input and government protection of this area is critical.
Furthermore, we strongly feel that the safeguards in place for public consultation within the Aggregate Application process are specifically and intentionally being circumvented by the proponent by using a mining claim lease application rather than an aggregate extraction permit application.
We request that the following measures be implemented before the grant of any mining lease be offered;
1) That the mining claim lease application be denied and the proponent be directed to apply for the appropriate aggregate extraction permit.
2) That a five year moratorium on any mining/quarrying activity in the area be enacted to allow for input from the Ministry of Culture and Ontario Parks in regard to the heritage and potential tourist values of the area.
3) That Ontario Parks be allowed input as to a recommendation that ownership of the area either be transferred to Parks Ontario, similar to the Mattawa River and French River Parks that protect adjacent portions of the historic fur trade canoe route or, that stewardship be transferred to the North Bay Mattawa Conservation Authority for protection as a conservation area as already exists on the abutting lands.
4) That public discussion be initiated to determine the heritage value these Crown Lands have to that the community of North Bay and the First Nations people and indeed to Canada.
5) Should the mining lease be granted that the presently stipulated 400 foot surface rights reservations around all lakes and rivers be kept as a condition of the lease, that recognized Provincially Significant wetland bordering the east and west property lines be respected within the City of North Bay’s Official Plan and further that strong consideration be given to the Ontario Park standard of a 200 metre development setback specifically on shoreline of La Vase River or Cooper’s Lake to the east of the property line.
We trust you appreciate the importance of these issues and we look forward to a continued discussion with your office and a positive response.
Yours truly,
J. Fred McNutt
Friends of La Vase Portages
Copy
Ministry Northern Development Mines & Forests, - Minister Michael Gravelle, MPP Thunder Bay
Ministry of Tourism, - Minister Monique Smith, MPP Nipissing
City of North Bay, - Mayor Vic Fedeli
Nipissing First Nation, - Chief Mariana Couchie
Ministry Natural Resources, North Bay Regional Manager - Phil Hall
Ministry of Culture, Northern Ontario - Paige Campbell
Ontario Parks Northeast Planning Office - Roel Teunnisen
Mattawa Conservation Authority, - Manager Brian Taylor