Kevin Parnell
Black Press
Staff at the District of Lake Country have begun a comprehensive review of its soil removal portfolio after it was found that more than one gravel operation was not operating with the proper municipal permits.
The issue came to light when council unanimously approved a temporary use permit for Interior Gravel Products to allow for rock crushing and screening on the site of its gravel pit, west of Highway 97.
Council heard that the company had been granted a mining permit in 2010 from the provincial government and had started working the pit in 2013, including screening and crushing of rock. However despite the provincial government approval, the operators never received the proper permit from Lake Country to process the gravel on site, as required under Lake Country bylaws.
“We’re currently working very hard on our soil removal portfolio,” Lake Country planner Paul Dupuis told council. “In the process of reviewing the file, we found there wasn’t a temporary use permit so we’re looking to rectify that.”
When it comes to gravel pits, operators receive mine licenses to extract gravel from the Ministry of Energy and Mines. Processing the gravel on site means the operator must get the proper permits from the municipality in which it operates.
However Dupuis said Interior Gravel Products as well as some other pits in the area do not have the proper permits in place.
“I cannot speak to the past or what may have occurred that has led to the situation,” Dupuis told the Lake Country Calendar in a follow up interview. “ I can only focus on ways forward…Council was informed that staff is working on a proactive solution to the portfolio and developing in-house systems to address expiration of permits so that we can follow up with applicants prior to permit expirations.”
One by one Lake Country councillors spoke about gravel pits in Lake Country voicing concern about noise, lack of reclamation, scarring of the land and other issues.
“Since coming on council I really struggle with gravel pits,” said Coun. Rob Geier. “I understand the need for the product and that it has to be moved and that we are getting some value. I also struggle with the stripping of trees. Are we asking for enough money to reclaim because I have yet to see a gravel pit in the area that has been reclaimed?”
However in the end, not one of them voted against allowing Interior Gravel to continue its crushing and screening operation.
The company — with three of its 10 employees living in Oyama — has a mine operation permit that has been extended to 2022. It is one of at least 10 gravel pits that operate in Lake Country and Dupuis said that it’s likely more operators will have to appear at council, to bring their permits up to standard.
However it doesn’t appear that Lake Country council can stop the operations, even if it wanted to. Despite the objections of every councillor at the table, council rubber-stamped the continuation of the operation status quo. Dupuis said council could have voted against the recommendation which would have stopped the operation from crushing and screening, however he said that likely would have resulted in conflict with the operator and the Ministry of Mines.
“Councils have done it, but then it has to be a battle with the ministry,” he said.
Dupuis added that the district will be contacting a few other operations that have been found to be operating without the proper permits and said one positive out of the situation is that all of the operators in Lake Country are paying their tipping fees.
Lake Country’s soil regulation bylaw calls for the district to receive 50 cents per metre cubed of material that is removed. From 2010 to 2015, Interior Gravel paid the district over $42,000 in fees with an estimated $53,000 still to come by the time the mine operation is complete. Those fees are used to maintain roads in the district, which can take a beating with heavy duty vehicles like gravel trucks.
In the end the district will set up an internal system to alert staff of when permits are expired so it can reach out to companies and start the process or renewing permits.