At a recent meeting on March 11, the council granted approval for zoning adjustments enabling the proposed expansion of the R.W. Tomlinson quarry.
An Ottawa quarry owner has moved closer to tripling the size of the quarry located southwest of Stittsville near Highway 7. R.W. Tomlinson extracts millions of tons of bedrock annually for concrete and asphalt use.
During the latest city council agriculture and rural affairs committee meeting, concerns were raised about the potential expansion’s impact on plant and animal wildlife. Several individuals highlighted the presence of at least three species of minnow and turtles in the wetlands within the expansion area.
Janet Stavinga, president of the Friends of Stittsville Wetlands, emphasized the importance of these ecosystems in supporting biodiversity and reducing climate change effects by storing carbon. The group also provides natural infrastructure services for healthy communities.
Tomlinson Group has applied for an aggregates license and zoning changes to expand its Stittsville quarry on Jinkinson Road. The expansion would encompass wetlands covering 10.7 and 4.6 hectares, which lost their provincially significant status a few years ago.
Sarah Hasenak from Ontario Nature expressed concerns about the plan, noting the high flood prevention score of one of the wetlands near the properties.
R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. intends to create over 63 hectares of natural features through progressive rehabilitation on the site. The company emphasized that the extraction process would occur in seven phases over time, ensuring that rehabilitation takes place concurrently with extraction activities.
The company assured that once extraction is complete, the area would be rehabilitated, meeting the city’s requirement for no net loss. The final approval for the plan now rests with the Ottawa city council.