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MORE WORK IS REQUIRED!

NEWS RELEASE #4:

April 28, 2021

Thank you to all those who have assisted in our effort to have a cleaner, healthier lake. It has been one year since construction was completed (mostly) on the Goodyear Farm (GYF) in Beaverton in conjunction with the Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority (LSRCA) to mitigate runoff into Lake Simcoe.  Construction activities included two storm water ponds and the use of this storm water pond water for partial irrigation, three WASCOBs (Water and Sediment Control Basins), addition of ditches, stabilization of laneways, replacement of culverts, buffer and wind break plantings, grassing of waterways, and planting of cover crops.

 
Since then, further “hardening” of the LSRCA plan has been taking place by adding linear ditches to channel surface water into the water management ponds, spring planting of trees for berm stability and erosion control, and adding another WASCOB to mitigate runoff. 


Overall runoff has decreased and we have seen visual improvement in lake water quality.  However, runoff events continue to occur and it is important to identify which specific runoff corridors (7 in total) are draining into the lake in order for us to drive further mitigation improvements.  Please call these events into the 24 hour spill hotline at 1-800-268-6060 operated by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks (MECP) when these happen. 


On a related note, the MECP has provided funding to LSRCA to conduct a watershed analysis on White's Creek this summer 2021 in order to determine and mitigate the runoff problems that we have been calling in.  This will deal with the complete catchment area for White's Creek to discover the source of the runoff and is an approach they have used successfully with "smaller" watersheds such as Scanlon Creek.  We continue to point out runoff occurring from the Marydel housing development, particularly from the exposed berm that runs for a kilometer along the west side of the development parallel to the CN tracks.  More to come. 


Lastly, it has been reported the GYF in Ramara will not operate this year which should reduce runoff into the Talbot River and ultimately into Lake Simcoe. 

MORE CHANGE!

NEWS RELEASE #3:

November 2, 2020

This News Release provides an update on the agricultural runoff into Lake Simcoe from the Goodyear Farm (GYF) operating north of Beaverton.   SOS Beaverton’s legal efforts, social media presence, letter writing, phone conversations, meetings, and petition which have resulted in a first key step to fix the problem.  Thank you to all those who have assisted in these efforts. 


Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority (LSRCA) approved a comprehensive plan in November 2019 to address approximately 80% of the GYF runoff. Construction and other activities were completed by Spring of 2020 focused on fields between Thorah Concession 8 and Concession 9 where we were experiencing the most runoff in previous years.  This included two storm water ponds, three Wascobs (Water and Sediment Control Basins), addition of 1.4 km of ditches, stabilization of 16 km of laneways, replacement of culverts, buffer and wind break plantings, grassing of waterways, and planting of cover crops. 


Weaknesses remain.  Up until midyear, we had a relatively clean lake in our area with only 1 small runoff event on March 13.  The lake (the area between Beaverton pier and Talbot River) looked like it used to look, clean and sparkling.  However, three major runoff events, coincident with large rainstorms on July 19, Aug 27, and Aug 29, resulted in farm run-off into the lake leaving this area a mess for much of the remainder of the summer/fall season. 


So there is more work to do.  Through LSRCA, further restoration activities are planned including additional Wascobs and grassed waterways, pond expansions to increase capacity and irrigation efficiencies, additional linear ditches to channel surface water into the water management ponds, and fall / spring tree plantings for berm stability and erosion control. 


Lastly, as noted in our previous News Release, this plan does not address field runoff to the north of Concession 9, some of the field runoff between Concession 7 and 8, and GYF – Ramara Operations which runoff into the Talbot River / Trent Canal and ultimately Lake Simcoe.   


Comments and requests to be added to our email distribution list can be directed to us at sosbeaverton@gmail.com 

ACTION IS HAPPENING!

NEWS RELEASE #2:

December 18, 2019


Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We want to acknowledge the fantastic support we have received with over 12,000 signatories to our petition to stop the agricultural pollution into Lake Simcoe from the Goodyear Farm operating north of Beaverton in Brock Township, and as well in Ramara Township.


With this support, SOS Beaverton’s legal efforts, social media presence, letter writing, phone conversations, meetings, and the like have resulted in a first key step to fix the problem. This news release explains this development.
At the November Board meeting of the Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority (LSRCA), approval was given for a comprehensive plan developed by Emmons and Oliver Environmental Consultants to stop farm run-off into Lake Simcoe from the Good Year Farm (GYF) – Beaverton operations.


We met recently with LSRCA staff to gain a full understanding of the plan and are in support. Construction activities to mitigate runoff from the farm are currently underway and are targeted for completion in Apr 2020. Cost is $1,500,000 in total with 2/3 being paid for by GYF and 1/3 being paid for by LSRCA.


Key to the plan are two large holding ponds and associated drainage systems designed to manage a 1 in 100-year storm runoff equivalent to a Hurricane Hazel size storm. Also being built are three Water and Sediment Control Basins (WASCOBs) designed to control surface water runoff. We have three reservations related to this plan.

(1) It addresses the major runoff locations at the Beaverton operation but does not address all of them, including field runoff to the north on Concession 9, and some of the field runoff between Concession 7 and 8. The Board report indicates the plan is expected to address 80% of the run-off from the addressed areas.

 

(2)Water testing for lake turbidity and chemical runoff from the farm is not included in the plan. It remains our view that this testing is important to ensure the plan works at the onset, as well as over time, as ongoing maintenance will be required for the systems put in place.

 

(3) GYF – Ramara operations are not addressed in this plan. We remain concerned with runoff from this farm into the Talbot River / Trent Canal and ultimately into Lake Simcoe affecting overall water quality, downstream property owners, fish spawning grounds, and the Provincially Significant Wetland at the mouth of the Talbot River.


A copy of the LSRCA Board Report and associated map is posted below


Comments and requests to be added to our email distribution list can be directed to us at sosbeaverton@gmail.com

MAKING PROGRESS!

NEWS RELEASE #1:

September 4, 2019

This is our 1st News Release in 2019 regarding our progress fighting the pollution of Lake Simcoe caused by a farming conglomerate growing non-native vegetables at its muck farm north of Beaverton. We have received remarkable support for our government petitions - 8,600+ signatories so far and the number is increasing everyday. We are sending out this News Release because we owe our supporters an update regarding what we have done and how things are going.  


One month ago we sent legal materials to our elected officials and their appointees about a major pollution problem in Lake Simcoe that we have been complaining about for 10 years. We ran a physical and digital campaign to get people to support our cause, we set up a website, made videos (including a musical!), and we’ve created Instagram and Facebook presences.  


This News Release explains what else we have done and the responses we have received so far. Specifically, one month ago we delivered packages to Doug Downey (the Attorney General (AG)), Jeff Yurek (Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP)), their Parliamentary Assistants and the MP (Jamie Schmale) and MPP (Laurie Scott) for our riding, among others. Our package asked our elected representatives to prosecute Goodyear Farms (GYF) for illegally discharging polluting material into Lake Simcoe from its Asian vegetable farm north of Beaverton in violation of the Ontario Water Resources Act. Our package contained a legal memorandum stipulating why such charges were warranted and, indeed, required by law. We are merely asking our elected representatives TO ENFORCE THE LAW! 


Our package also contained materials asking our elected officials and their appointees to revoke permits granting GYF the right to take up to 18,000,000+ litres of water PER DAY from Lake Simcoe to irrigate its Asian vegetables. Apart from two sod farms and two small farms, in each case, that are not adjacent to the Lake, GYF (which is adjacent to the Lake) is the only farm of which we are aware that has been granted such a permit. Our package specified the legal basis requiring the termination of these permits.   


Shortly after delivering our packages, we heard from the director (Director) appointed under s. 34 of the OWRA. She is the person responsible for issuing permits to take water. She told us her department would review our materials and conduct their own due diligence and assessment of the situation. More recently, the Environmental Review Tribunal (Tribunal) has contacted us and assigned our case to a person (presumably a lawyer within MECP) who will act on behalf of the Director. In addition, lawyers based out of Toronto have identified themselves to the Tribunal and us and stated they have been retained to act for GYF on this matter. So, it looks like there is going to be a hearing into our petition to revoke GYF’s water-taking permits! 
We have also recently followed up with the AG’s office and the MECP regarding enforcement of the OWRA. We want GYF prosecuted for discharging impairing materials into Lake Simcoe in violation of that law. A representative of the “Communications” group at the AG’s office told us they had received and reviewed our materials and had referred our submissions to the MECP.  


Two individuals within the “Communications” group at the MECP subsequently contacted us. Both of these individuals were aware of our submission and told us that a “response” to our materials was “on the desk of the Minister awaiting signature”. Interesting. We will see if our government will support its constituents or not.  
Look for our next News Release as developments warrant. If we do not receive the backing we expect from our elected representatives, our intent is to bring private actions and lawsuits. So, our next News Release may contain a request for donations to help us cover the costs of such actions. 


To see the materials we delivered to our elected officials, visit our website at: https://sosbeaverton.wixsite.com/home . To sign our petition demanding that the laws be enforced to stop this pollution, follow the link on our website. You can also find our videos on the website and by searching SOSBeaverton on YouTube. 


Finally, please forward this News Release to anyone you think may wish to support us and, if you know anyone who would like to be added to our distribution list, please ask them to notify us at sosbeaverton@gmail.com .  

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