Neighbours on outskirts of Thunder Bay, Ont., concerned over proposed quarry

A group of neighbours near the edge of the city limits in Thunder Bay, Ont., have concerns over a proposal only a handful of property owners were originally told about. 

RJ Concrete and Construction wants to develop a quarry on its property at the west end of Melbourne Road, just off of Dog Lake Road.

The creation of new gravel pits in quarries in the Lappe area, just north of the city and this proposed quarry, has created tensions between construction companies and property owners.

RJ Concrete has owned the property for a couple of years, where its concrete plant sits. Now, it wants to take an unlimited amount of rock out of an old quarry.

The group opposed to the pit, has started a website which includes a petition, along with environmental reports required for the permit to operate the quarry.

Adam Grant, who lives adjacent to the proposed site, said provincial regulations required only a few neighbours to be notified, because of the distance between lots. He is part of a group of neighbours who wanted to make sure others who live in the semi-rural area were aware of the proposal.

Grant said while RJ Concrete and Construction does have to go through a permitting process, he is worried about contamination to his well, along with noise from the site.

"Being a historical industrial site, there's the possibility of contamination buried in there that once you start blasting, or increasing your water volume up there, we can unleash some pretty bad things." 

Grant said the quarry, which was originally blasted decades ago, has had concrete dumped in it for years, creating a false bottom. He worries what contaminants are underneath the solidified waste concrete.

Grant said he is close enough to the current quarry that he can hear employees talking and said when a blast goes off, and a rock crusher is running, he worries the noise at his home will be unbearable.

He said he also has concerns about the impact on the McIntyre River, which is about 600 metres from the quarry, in the general direction of water flow from the area.

The process for consulting neighbours and what can be done to alleviate concerns, is clear, said Dan Matson, the chief operating officer for RJ Concrete.

"We hope, as any producer would hope, that all of the concerns of the stakeholders can be addressed and that we can present the plan to the [Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry] that includes all of the stakeholder questions and concerns being addressed. That's probably unrealistic," he said.

"So I suspect what's going to happen is we are going to have some concerns from some stakeholders that we're not going to be able to reach an agreement on," Matson said, noting the province could try some mediation between neighbours and the company.

Matson said most of the concerns revolve around water contamination and noise. He said there is a plan to try and mitigate noise issues.

"The way the face will be opened, pointing in a certain direction to dampen the noise around the pit or around the quarry. We have to berm the site," he said, noting the crushing operation will have a sea can wall around it to keep the noise down.

Matson said the company would have to keep its blasting and quarrying about two metres above the groundwater level. That level varies, as the elevation of the property changes from north to south.

"We're going to have to do some pre operations testing well levels and well quality." 

Matson said the rock from the quarry would be used in concrete, as well as other construction performed by the company, but may also be sold to other operations.

"We understand that we are attempting to do an industrial development that is in relative close proximity to some residential areas, and there always needs to be a balance between economic development, job creation and those type of factors."

"Then the quiet enjoyment of one's property. And that is what we are attempting to do in this consultation process," Matson said.