It’s taken many years to find a viable solution that makes sense for all parties, including the City of Guelph, Guelph-Eramosa Township and the quarry owners
2002
- City starts investigating local water quality following the introduction of Ontario’s Safe Water Drinking Act
2003
- City advises regulators of concerns with Dolime Quarry operations and their potential impact on groundwater quality
2008
- City staff discover that quarrying has reached the aquitard—the dense layer of rock that protects our drinking water
2009
- City experts, River Valley Developments (Dolime Quarry owners) and provincial regulators establish a technical working group to explore concerns related to water quality and quantity
2013
- City requests leave to appeal the Dolime Quarry’s water-taking permit based on water quality and quantity concerns
2014
- City’s leave to appeal is granted and City enters into confidential mediation with the Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks and River Valley Developments
2014 to 2018
- Appeal parties work to find a viable solution to protect Guelph’s drinking water
2018
- A solution that addresses the interests of all parties emerges
2019
- City launches campaign to share proposed solution to protect drinking water with the community
2020
- February: City shares summary of community engagement
- March: Council directs staff to pursue the proposed solution
- April: Staff begin negotiating agreements for implementing the proposed solution with the owners of the Dolime Quarry
- November: City and River Valley Developments (quarry owners) sign agreement for implementing the approved plan
2021
- April: City staff and owner of the Dolime Quarry reach an agreement to implement the Council-approved plan
- June: County of Wellington and Guelph-Eramosa Township approve support for proposed adjustment to include quarry lands in Guelph’s municipal boundary
- July: Guelph City Council approves submission of requests for proposed boundary adjustment and Minister’s Zoning Order to the Province
- September: City and quarry owner sign agreement committing to a public planning process to determine specific residential uses for the quarry lands; City initiates environmental assessment that includes testing program to determine the need for and design of an on-site water management system at the quarry
- December: Province approves City requested boundary adjustment and Minister’s Zoning Order