What do you know about aggregate?

Water Watchers supports grassroots groups who face many different kinds of threats to their local waters. One threat that may not be well known is aggregate extraction. This survey is to better understand what people know - or don't - about the aggregate industry, its environmental impacts, and its community impacts.

Most aggregate material extracted in gravel mining is used in the manufacture of cement and for the construction of roads, bridges, sewers and other infrastructure.

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* 1. Please select all that apply to the follow statements:

	I knew this already.	I didn't know this.	This surprises me.	This does not surprise me.	I am not interested in this information.
The cement industry produces 8% of global carbon emissions.	The cement industry produces 8% of global carbon emissions. I knew this already.	The cement industry produces 8% of global carbon emissions. I didn't know this.	The cement industry produces 8% of global carbon emissions. This surprises me.	The cement industry produces 8% of global carbon emissions. This does not surprise me.	The cement industry produces 8% of global carbon emissions. I am not interested in this information.
If the cement industry was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of CO2 globally.	If the cement industry was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of CO2 globally. I knew this already.	If the cement industry was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of CO2 globally. I didn't know this.	If the cement industry was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of CO2 globally. This surprises me.	If the cement industry was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of CO2 globally. This does not surprise me.	If the cement industry was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of CO2 globally. I am not interested in this information.
The process of road construction and maintenance is a major contributor to climate change, as building more high-capacity roads leads to more driving.	The process of road construction and maintenance is a major contributor to climate change, as building more high-capacity roads leads to more driving. I knew this already.	The process of road construction and maintenance is a major contributor to climate change, as building more high-capacity roads leads to more driving. I didn't know this.	The process of road construction and maintenance is a major contributor to climate change, as building more high-capacity roads leads to more driving. This surprises me.	The process of road construction and maintenance is a major contributor to climate change, as building more high-capacity roads leads to more driving. This does not surprise me.	The process of road construction and maintenance is a major contributor to climate change, as building more high-capacity roads leads to more driving. I am not interested in this information.
Excavating new gravel pits and quarries contributes to global warming by destroying the natural environment and removing carbon sequestering wetlands, plants and soils.	Excavating new gravel pits and quarries contributes to global warming by destroying the natural environment and removing carbon sequestering wetlands, plants and soils. I knew this already.	Excavating new gravel pits and quarries contributes to global warming by destroying the natural environment and removing carbon sequestering wetlands, plants and soils. I didn't know this.	Excavating new gravel pits and quarries contributes to global warming by destroying the natural environment and removing carbon sequestering wetlands, plants and soils. This surprises me.	Excavating new gravel pits and quarries contributes to global warming by destroying the natural environment and removing carbon sequestering wetlands, plants and soils. This does not surprise me.	Excavating new gravel pits and quarries contributes to global warming by destroying the natural environment and removing carbon sequestering wetlands, plants and soils. I am not interested in this information.
The majority of gravel mining in Ontario - about 60-80% - is done by four multinational corporations with headquarters in Europe and Brazil.	The majority of gravel mining in Ontario - about 60-80% - is done by four multinational corporations with headquarters in Europe and Brazil. I knew this already.	The majority of gravel mining in Ontario - about 60-80% - is done by four multinational corporations with headquarters in Europe and Brazil. I didn't know this.	The majority of gravel mining in Ontario - about 60-80% - is done by four multinational corporations with headquarters in Europe and Brazil. This surprises me.	The majority of gravel mining in Ontario - about 60-80% - is done by four multinational corporations with headquarters in Europe and Brazil. This does not surprise me.	The majority of gravel mining in Ontario - about 60-80% - is done by four multinational corporations with headquarters in Europe and Brazil. I am not interested in this information.

Any comments or questions?

There are more than 6000 pits and quarries in Ontario already licensed by the Ontario government to supply aggregate.

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* 2. How aware are you of the following impacts of gravel mining...

	Very aware	Aware	Somewhat aware	Not aware
Gravel mining threatens groundwater supply and quality	Gravel mining threatens groundwater supply and quality Very aware	Gravel mining threatens groundwater supply and quality Aware	Gravel mining threatens groundwater supply and quality Somewhat aware	Gravel mining threatens groundwater supply and quality Not aware	Gravel mining threatens groundwater supply and quality
Gravel mining blasts rocks which travel hundreds of metres at speeds that can injure and kill	Gravel mining blasts rocks which travel hundreds of metres at speeds that can injure and kill Very aware	Gravel mining blasts rocks which travel hundreds of metres at speeds that can injure and kill Aware	Gravel mining blasts rocks which travel hundreds of metres at speeds that can injure and kill Somewhat aware	Gravel mining blasts rocks which travel hundreds of metres at speeds that can injure and kill Not aware	Gravel mining blasts rocks which travel hundreds of metres at speeds that can injure and kill
Gravel mining pollutes the air with particulate matter and dust	Gravel mining pollutes the air with particulate matter and dust Very aware	Gravel mining pollutes the air with particulate matter and dust Aware	Gravel mining pollutes the air with particulate matter and dust Somewhat aware	Gravel mining pollutes the air with particulate matter and dust Not aware	Gravel mining pollutes the air with particulate matter and dust
Gravel mining increases traffic hazards for children, pedestrians, cyclists and commuters	Gravel mining increases traffic hazards for children, pedestrians, cyclists and commuters Very aware	Gravel mining increases traffic hazards for children, pedestrians, cyclists and commuters Aware	Gravel mining increases traffic hazards for children, pedestrians, cyclists and commuters Somewhat aware	Gravel mining increases traffic hazards for children, pedestrians, cyclists and commuters Not aware	Gravel mining increases traffic hazards for children, pedestrians, cyclists and commuters
Prime agricultural lands removed by gravel mining are rarely restored to become productive agricultural land	Prime agricultural lands removed by gravel mining are rarely restored to become productive agricultural land Very aware	Prime agricultural lands removed by gravel mining are rarely restored to become productive agricultural land Aware	Prime agricultural lands removed by gravel mining are rarely restored to become productive agricultural land Somewhat aware	Prime agricultural lands removed by gravel mining are rarely restored to become productive agricultural land Not aware	Prime agricultural lands removed by gravel mining are rarely restored to become productive agricultural land
Gravel mining destroys the value of people's homes	Gravel mining destroys the value of people's homes Very aware	Gravel mining destroys the value of people's homes Aware	Gravel mining destroys the value of people's homes Somewhat aware	Gravel mining destroys the value of people's homes Not aware	Gravel mining destroys the value of people's homes
Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to represent themselves in front of a single, unaccountable official in a quasi-legal hearing	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to represent themselves in front of a single, unaccountable official in a quasi-legal hearing Very aware	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to represent themselves in front of a single, unaccountable official in a quasi-legal hearing Aware	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to represent themselves in front of a single, unaccountable official in a quasi-legal hearing Somewhat aware	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to represent themselves in front of a single, unaccountable official in a quasi-legal hearing Not aware	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to represent themselves in front of a single, unaccountable official in a quasi-legal hearing
Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to educate themselves in complex areas of planning, hydrogeology, blasting, and other technical specialties, requiring thousands of hours of volunteer time	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to educate themselves in complex areas of planning, hydrogeology, blasting, and other technical specialties, requiring thousands of hours of volunteer time Very aware	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to educate themselves in complex areas of planning, hydrogeology, blasting, and other technical specialties, requiring thousands of hours of volunteer time Aware	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to educate themselves in complex areas of planning, hydrogeology, blasting, and other technical specialties, requiring thousands of hours of volunteer time Somewhat aware	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to educate themselves in complex areas of planning, hydrogeology, blasting, and other technical specialties, requiring thousands of hours of volunteer time Not aware	Community groups opposing applications for gravel mining are forced to educate themselves in complex areas of planning, hydrogeology, blasting, and other technical specialties, requiring thousands of hours of volunteer time
Community groups are forced to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to retain lawyers, planners, and technical experts to support their opposition to gravel mining applications	Community groups are forced to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to retain lawyers, planners, and technical experts to support their opposition to gravel mining applications Very aware	Community groups are forced to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to retain lawyers, planners, and technical experts to support their opposition to gravel mining applications Aware	Community groups are forced to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to retain lawyers, planners, and technical experts to support their opposition to gravel mining applications Somewhat aware	Community groups are forced to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to retain lawyers, planners, and technical experts to support their opposition to gravel mining applications Not aware	Community groups are forced to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to retain lawyers, planners, and technical experts to support their opposition to gravel mining applications

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* 3. Have you ever been involved in opposing an application for aggregate extraction (i.e. gravel mining)?

Yes

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* 4. How aware were you of gravel mining issues before responding to this survey?

Very aware

Somewhat aware

Not so aware

Not at all aware

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* 5. Do you support Doug Ford's proposals for...

	Agree	Somewhat agree	Somewhat disagree	Disagree	Don't know
more highways	more highways Agree	more highways Somewhat agree	more highways Somewhat disagree	more highways Disagree	more highways Don't know
expanding the urban boundaries	expanding the urban boundaries Agree	expanding the urban boundaries Somewhat agree	expanding the urban boundaries Somewhat disagree	expanding the urban boundaries Disagree	expanding the urban boundaries Don't know
designating farmland for development	designating farmland for development Agree	designating farmland for development Somewhat agree	designating farmland for development Somewhat disagree	designating farmland for development Disagree	designating farmland for development Don't know

Water Watchers believes that new highways and urban sprawl increases demand for more gravel mining, and together these fuel the climate crisis. The time for sweeping reforms of gravel mining is long overdue. There is enough aggregate available in the 6000+ pits and quarries Ontario has licensed, that Ontario could impose a moratorium on all new applicants for gravel mining and take the time necessary to reform gravel mining in Ontario.

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* 6. Would you support a moratorium on all new applications for gravel mining in Ontario?

Yes

Maybe

Not sure

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* 7. Do you have any other comments you would like to share?

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* 8. Would you like to receive more information on Water Watcher's campaign to win a moratorium on all new applications for gravel mining in Ontario? If yes, please provide your contact information below.

Name

ZIP/Postal Code

Email Address

Phone Number

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