The Ministry of Natural Resources has weighed in on aggregate extraction at Picton Terminals.
During Tuesday’s meeting of Prince Edward County Council, councillors reviewed a letter from the ministry regarding ongoing disputes over the permitted land uses for Picton Terminals.
At issue was the excavation of large amounts of aggregate material, which the Terminals claims is required for construction but critics have accused of being an illegal quarrying operation. Prince Edward County had written to the ministry seeking clarification about the aggregate extraction on the site. In a response, the Ministry confirmed that they had inspected the site and found that the extraction on the site did not qualify as a quarry.
In a brief discussion about the letter, councillor John Hirsch said that operations on the site were designed to maximize extraction without needing a licence.
“It’s just very disappointing that M-N-R has been persuaded that the extensive and lucrative aggregate extraction going on at the Picton Terminals property is simply, required to accommodate infrastructure development associated with the shipping terminal,” said councillor Hirsch. “A shipping terminal that averages 10 ships a year.”
Council accepted the correspondence, but took no other action at this time.
