A controversial quarry located southwest of Hagersville is planning to resume operations. Six Nations Elected Council (SNEC) have negotiated and agreed to be financially compensated on the project. SNEC and Six Nations Consultation and Accommodation Process (CAP) team are now hosting community engagement sessions to detail the agreement.
Brant Aggregates Ltd., a sand and gravel supplier, applied in 2020 for a license to re-open and to begin removal of aggregate from the currently defunct quarry. The quarry has not operated since 2006, and local community members voiced their concerns about the application in a 2021 Hamilton Spectator article, which included concerns of noise, road damage and ground water scarcity.
The location of the quarry sits on Nanfan Treaty land, and Six Nations entered into discussions with the aggregate company to be financially accommodated. Six Nations and Brant Aggregates Ltd. came to an agreement and SNEC approved the financial compensation during the April 25 Political Liaison Meeting. The Six Nations CAP team says this financial accommodation will be able to produce $1.4 million in revenue for the community.
Peter Graham, consultation supervisor for Six Nations CAP team, says SNEC and the CAP team are looking for feedback from community members on topics like the aggregate sector in general, and the different environment concerns that could arise with the project.
Graham says Six Nations will receive a higher rate per tonne of aggregate extracted then the provincial governments rate.
“Six Nations would get 10 cents per tonne: that’s substantially more than the provincial government, which is expected to get 4.5 cents a tonne per aggregate. It is also a higher rate than any other First Nation to the best of our knowledge has agreed to.”
He says that Six Nations CAP team and SNEC both believe this is a good deal given circumstances
“The best deal given that we can get under the circumstances and we hope it will help provide an opening to facilitate agreements with other aggregate companies,” he said.
“The agreement with Brant (Aggregates Ltd.) to provide that 10 cents a tonne, they are under no legal compulsion in order to do so. The ministry of natural resources which oversees quarrying operations for the province and takes on the role of the crown in this situation has no interest in whatsoever in enforcing or even encouraging aggregate companies to provide any financial accommodations whatsoever with First Nations.”
Six Nations Lands and Resources and SNEC will hold an in-person community engagement session on Monday, September 18 at the Gathering Place by the Grand starting at 5 p.m.
