The Application Process

The Aggregate Resources Act application process is proponent-driven. The applicant is responsible for meeting all information requirements and undertaking public and agency notification, as well as consultation. This process is designed to be open and transparent.

The act regulates aggregate extraction through four types of instruments: 

• An aggregate permit is required for aggregate extraction on Crown land or where the Crown owns the aggregate, and all extraction from land under natural water bodies.
• A licence is required for aggregate extraction on private land in areas designated* under the Aggregate Resources Act. A Class A licence is issued for operations that remove more than 20,000 tonnes of material from the site annually. A Class B licence is issued for operations that remove 20,000 tonnes or less annually.
• A wayside permit is issued for aggregate extraction on private land in designated areas, where the aggregate is to be used by a public authority such as the Ministry of Transportation or a municipality for temporary road construction or road maintenance projects.

* An area is "designated" when it is identified in the regulation under the act.
 

The Aggregate Resources of Ontario: Provincial Standards Version 1.0 set out the process for applications under the act. The Provincial Standards contain multiple categories of application that list the standard criteria for licence, aggregate permit and wayside permit applications.

These application categories were created to ensure that the applicant provides the information needed to assess the application, and to ensure the applicant, municipal agencies and affected parties are aware of the up-front requirements. Each application category includes:

• Site Plan Standards
• Report Standards
• Prescribed Conditions
• Notification and Consultation Standards. 

The Provincial Standards further divide the four types of licences or permits into different categories of applications, based on whether: 

• the application is for a pit or a quarry
• the extraction is to be above or below the water table
• the application is for a Class A licence, Class B licence, aggregate permit or wayside permit. 

The difference between a pit and a quarry is based on the type of material being taken from a site. Sand and gravel are called "unconsolidated material" and come from a pit. Bedrock, such as limestone and granite, is called "consolidated material" and comes from a quarry. Blasting is usually required to remove aggregate from a quarry, but is not required for pit operations.
 

Note that the application categories only relate to the application process. The licence or permit does not specify whether the operation is to be above or below the water table; this is controlled by the approved site plan.