06/03/2026
Great article in the Owen Sound Sun Times today on West Grey's approval of the Tremble application.
Owen Sound Sun Times
NewsLocal News
West Grey approves zoning for aggregate pit, as residents object
Property is located within 150-200 metres of the Saugeen River
Author of the article: Rob Gowan
Published Jun 03, 2026 • Last updated 35 minutes ago • 5 minute read
West Grey council has passed a zoning bylaw amendment permitting an aggregate pit on a property located near the Saugeen River, despite objections by residents about potential impacts and risks to them, the waterway, the watershed and the area’s roads and bridges.
Council approved the bylaw at its meeting on Tuesday to amend the zoning for a portion of a 41-hectare property from Rural (A2) and Natural Environment (NE), to Extractive Industrial (M4), along with A2 and NE. The change is to permit an almost 27-hectare licenced aggregate operation on the property. The zoning change includes a holding provision pending a haul route and road upgrade agreement between the owner and the municipality.
Coun. Joyce Nuhn pulled the bylaw to vote on it separate from others, and was the only council member who voted against passing the bylaw. Coun. Doug Townsend was absent on Tuesday.
At its May 19 meeting, council voted in favour of a staff recommendation to bring forward the bylaw to permit the zoning amendment. Nuhn was absent from that meeting, while the rest of council was present and voted in favour of that motion.
During the meeting two weeks ago, council heard from a handful of residents and a representative of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters who had concerns about the approval. That meeting also featured deputations from resident Judi Smelko, representing the Saugeen Preservation Society Inc., as well as from planning consultant Ron Davidson, on behalf of applicant Don Tremble.
Smelko, whose group is concerned about the growing number of aggregate extraction applications in the municipality, including two others proposed in the area of the Tremble application, said in a May 24 news release that they are angry and disappointed by West Grey’s decision.
“It is their job in this process to make decisions through the lens of our natural assets, rural economy and public health,” Smelko said in the release. “They didn’t do that. Sadly, we aren’t the only ones having to fight so hard to protect a river from the impacts of aggregate extraction, the same thing is playing out in the Saugeen, Nottawasaga, Credit, Grand and Maitland Rivers.
“We all need to keep this in mind when we head to the ballot box in October.”
The property being rezoned is located at 382063 Concession 4, NDR, which is just east of Allan Park Road and west of Mulock Sideroad. The Saugeen River meanders around the property to its west, north and east, coming within 150 to 200 metres of the lands. The Saugeen Springs RV Park is further along the Saugeen River to the east of the subject property.
According to a planning justification report prepared by Davidson, the applicant’s licence would permit the extraction of aggregate material within an identified area 1.5 metres above the established water table, with a maximum of 300,000 tonnes of material to be extracted annually.
Davidson said on May 19 that Tremble, a home builder, and his son, who is an excavator, are in need of material because the price of material went up substantially recently when another contractor was bought out by a bigger firm.
In a May 19 staff report from West Grey Senior Planner Matt Rapke, it said that assuming the maximum tonnage is extracted, the site’s life is estimated to be 4.3 years.
There are no plans to use the pit for recycling or concrete or asphalt materials, and a ready mix plant or asphalt plant will not operate on the site, the report stated.
A formal peer review of a noise impact study and maximum predicted water table and hydrogeological assessment report were conducted, and West Grey staff have reviewed a transportation study and require the haul route agreement.
Grey County staff have reviewed the natural environment technical report and has no concerns, while Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority finds the application acceptable, Rapke reported. Saugeen Ojibway Nation has no objection to the zoning changes, he noted.
Coun. Doug Hutchinson said during the May 19 meeting that he hears the residents’ concerns, but added gravel pits are necessary and they have many examples of people co-existing with them in the municipality.
“The ruling bodies have requested a number of studies and the proponent of this gravel pit has provided these. Our planner, the county, Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority and the professionals all support this application,” said Hutchinson. “Areas of concern like noise, dust, traffic and water have mitigating measures to control these.
“It is up to the proponent and the controlling authorities to abide by these. I feel confident they will.”
Hutchinson said not supporting the application would only lead to an appeal by the proponents and result in more cost with the same outcome.
Coun. Doug Townsend said he heard the residents’ concerns about the cumulative effect of the pits, but council has to look at the present situation.
“There is one pit there now and there is an application for a second pit,” said Townsend. “We can’t deal with the what-ifs if there are two more pits down the road. Councils of the day will have to look at those pits on their individual merits.”
But Smelko says there has been no cumulative impact study to determine the effects of having another pit in the area. There is a licence application for an expansion of an existing Walker pit in the area, and another application for a new pit nearby, she said.
Smelko said their biggest concern now is that council didn’t take the cumulative concerns of the Tremble application into consideration, but have indicated they are going to take those concerns into consideration for the next applications.
“The Walker pit existed regardless of anything else, and we were asking them since 2023 to do this,” said Smelko. “Their excuse was that because of the timing it would be unfair to ask Tremble to do this at this point. They had opportunity. We have been advocating for it since the beginning.”
While the province’s Bill 185 restricts the residents from appealing the zoning change, there are 14 individuals who have submitted objections to the pit licence application to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Smelko said the Saugeen Preservation Society objection alone has 70 signatures attached to it.
Smelko said going forward they will continue to prepare for the OLT process.
“It could be a week from now, it could be a month, it could be a couple of years,” said Smelko. “It all depends if the province is holding their feet to the fire on things, or has issues with things. It can hinge on Indigenous consultation, so we are kind of at the mercy of the process as to when that is going to happen.”
Smelko said her group and area residents will also continue to fight the other pit applications in the area.
“We have picked ourselves up and dusted ourselves off and we will carry on and go through the OLT process and carry on that way,” said Smelko.
“We are disappointed in how it panned out, but we have learned things along the way, like how to more effectively engage with council on the next one coming up to ensure that all of the things that need consideration like water quality, surface water flooding, and air quality are taken into consideration.”
OFAH Membership Top Aggregate Producing Municipalities of Ontario Reform Gravel Mining Coalition Scott Miller CTV
